It all comes down to Choice
by Hobbit-eyes
Summary: The sequel to 'The Second Hope! Asha has been on the crew for a month now, and things are getting more complicated. She discovers that things are happening in the Matrix, but who can she go to for help? Not a Mary-Sue, I promise! Chapter 14 up!
1. New Mission

Yes, it is finally here - the sequel to 'The Second Hope'. If you haven't read it, don't worry, it's pretty easy to pick up what's going on. Lots of people have requested this, so I hope this makes them happy and is adequate to your standards, and does justice to the first one. Hope you enjoy it! Oh, and it's set around June, just so you know, because that's when I actually started writing it. When I was supposed to be revising. *guilt*  
  
Disclaimer - I own neither the Matrix, nor any of the characters, but all the characters in this that aren't in the Matrix are of my own creation.  
  
Chapter 1 - A New Mission  
  
Asha glanced around the crowded room. It was full of people, all of whom could turn into agents at any second. She would have no chance against an army that size. But she was the only one who could complete this mission, and it was essential.  
  
She tucked an unruly strand of hair behind her ear, and strode through the crowd. As she went, she looked around for possible escapes. Her short time as a crew member on the Nebuchadnezzar, and her encounters with agents, had taught her that danger can come from anywhere, and often in the direction you least expect it.  
  
There, at the front, was the man she needed to see. She made eye contact, and maintained it, even though he couldn't see her thoughtful dark brown eyes through her sunglasses. She stopped in front of him.  
  
"Ticket for the Matrix: Reloaded, please," she said.  
  
The guy looked at her outfit with raised eyebrows. "My God, you're obsessed," he said, "What, do you think you're Trinity, or something?"  
  
Asha smiled. The guy could never understand how close to the truth he had come.  
  
Asha scuttled through the doors just as the lights went down. She shuffled past people who were already sitting, causing much muttering and grumbling, but one glare from Asha silenced them. There was something unnerving about her gaze; and also no-one wants to pick a fight with a Matrix obsessive.  
  
* * * * *  
  
As the lights went up again, Asha blinked. That was weird. For one thing, Tank was still alive - but where had he gone? And. Neo wasn't the One? What was up with that?  
  
Asha shook her head, and stood up, joining the crowds of happy looking Matrix fans, already chatting nineteen to the dozen about how ANNOYING that ending was, and how HOT Neo had been, and how November had never seemed further away. She ought to get back to the Nebuchadnezzar, but she felt somewhat reluctant. It had been nice going to the cinema again, feeling like an ordinary teenager. Sometimes she wished it could have stayed like that. She pulled out her phone.  
  
"Operator."  
  
"Tank, do you have to say that every time?"  
  
"Sorry, Asha, but it's regulations."  
  
"Right."  
  
"How was the film?"  
  
"Strange. for one thing, you weren't in it."  
  
"Oh."  
  
"I need to talk to Morpheus."  
  
"OK." She heard him call Morpheus. Usually all the crew would watch the monitors while someone was in the Matrix, but Asha had proven herself when not only her life, but Neo and Trinity's lives had been in danger as well.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Morpheus, this film was really strange. Tank wasn't there, Agent Smith wasn't an Agent any more, and they said that the Prophecy wasn't true!"  
  
Morpheus was quiet for a moment. "That is strange," he said, "All I can presume is that they decided not to continue to record real events, but continue the story to make money. It also makes the public presume that if the Matrix WAS real, it would have been destroyed by now."  
  
"Ah," said Asha, "Sneaky. Got an exit for me?"  
  
"Couple of streets away. Athelstan Road."  
  
"Got it." She put her phone in her pocket and looked around. Several people were looking at her very strangely - well, she had just been talking to someone called Morpheus on a phone. That wasn't good - agents could detect any disturbance in the Matrix. She turned away hurriedly and started up the street.  
  
She walked along, not making eye contact with anyone, trying not to look like she was hurrying, but very eager to get out of there. Suddenly someone caught her shoulder.  
  
"My God, you're the girl who's missing!" said a middle aged man, "What's your name, uh, Asha Warner!"  
  
"No I'm not," said Asha quickly, shaking her shoulder from his grasp.  
  
"Yes you are!" he said, "Don't worry, dear, we'll get you to the police station."  
  
"I'm not Asha Warner," said Asha insistently. She glanced around. Everyone was looking round at her. She realised with a tremor of fear that agents could realise what was going on, and come in any second. She turned to run, but the man grabbed onto her arm.  
  
"Don't worry, dear. Are you running away from someone?"  
  
"Let me go!" said Asha. She fought to make him let go of her, but his grip remained strong.  
  
"Don't worry, we won't let anyone catch you, you're safe," said the man, trying to be reassuring. Asha rolled her eyes; he just didn't get it. She could see people watching and talking to each other. She jumped when she saw someone with a suit and sunglasses, but it wasn't an agent, thankfully. But she had to get away, now.  
  
"Look, I'm sorry about this," she said. She jumped into the air and kicked him in the stomach; she didn't know her own strength, and didn't want to risk brain damage. The man doubled over wheezing, and released Asha's arm. She sprinted off down the road, calling over her shoulder "Sorry!"  
  
After running for several minutes, she stopped. There were no footsteps behind her; she hadn't been followed. She couldn't remember cinema trips being this complicated before. Quietly, she made her way to the phone box near Athelstan Road. 


	2. Dreams

Well, the response the last chapter was good, so I'm keeping going! I'm so glad you all seem to be thinking that this is just as good as the first one, so enjoy!  
  
Chapter 2 - Dreams  
  
"How was it?" asked Morpheus as Asha opened her eyes back on the Nebuchadnezzar.  
  
"Fine," said Asha, getting up, "But this guy recognised me."  
  
"We saw," said Morpheus, "Your disappearance is somewhat a mystery in the Matrix."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Well, think about it. The police come to your house the next morning, after reports of gunshots and screaming, find your parents shot and your bedroom forced open, and you're nowhere to be seen."  
  
"I guess," said Asha, feeling slightly guilty about all the fuss being made.  
  
"We need to talk about the sequel," said Morpheus, "There may be information to our advantage."  
  
For the next hour, Asha told them all she could remember about the film. Morpheus was particularly interested about the Architect.  
  
"Now that could be true," said Morpheus, "There could be one person who designed the Matrix. And the rogue programs, too, that would explain a lot... but the prophecy not being true? It has to be."  
  
"That's what you say in the film," said Asha quietly, "Right before the Nebuchadnezzar blows up."  
  
"What?" said Trinity.  
  
"It blows up at the end," said Asha, "Then Neo does this weird thing and destroys loadsa squiddies. Then he goes into a coma."  
  
"He destroys sentinels in the Real World?" said Trinity. She looked at Neo.  
  
"I don't see how," said Neo, "I can't feel them."  
  
"Don't try!" said Asha, "I mean, I know you're back for Matrix: Revolutions, but we don't know what happens then!"  
  
"I won't be, don't worry," said Neo, "We have the EMP."  
  
Asha thought about saying about the fact the squiddies were outside the blast radius, but decided not to - what was the point?  
  
"It's time you went to bed," said Morpheus, "You've got a busy day tomorrow."  
  
"What are we doing?"  
  
"We have another training program to run on you. You're now legally old enough to be an operational member of the crew-"  
  
"I thought I had to be twenty?"  
  
"Well, technically, yes," said Morpheus.  
  
"But not many people below twenty can take on twenty agents and win," said Neo, "You're an exception."  
  
"Anyway-" said Morpheus, smiling slightly, "The Council in Zion has granted you permission to go on missions now. We need to teach you how to hack into computers so that we can contact potentials."  
  
"Nifty!" said Asha, "Come on, come on, what are we waiting for?"  
  
"We'll do it in the morning," said Morpheus, "Go to bed now."  
  
* * * * *  
  
Asha woke up that night screaming. She looked around rapidly. She was back on the Nebuchadnezzar. She'd had a bad dream - she tried to remember the details of it, but they were fading rapidly. She heard footsteps coming towards her room. "What is it?" said Neo.  
  
"Nothing," said Asha, "I just- I had a bad dream."  
  
"What about?"  
  
"It was just a dream," said Asha, "Why?"  
  
"I have dreams," said Neo, "I don't know whether they're true. How can you be so sure?"  
  
"What dreams?" said Asha.  
  
"If they're just dreams, why do you need to know?" asked Neo, grinning.  
  
"Cos you're the One!" said Asha, "Your dreams come true in the film."  
  
"In the film, I also go and see the Merovingian and kiss Persephone," said Neo, "Now, if I did that in real life, I believe that Trinity would cause me severe pain."  
  
Asha smiled. A couple of months ago, she would have been thrilled to have Neo running into her bedroom at night because he was worred about her, especially if her bedroom was on the Nebuchadnezzar. But now she just saw Neo as another crewmember, albeit a hot one. But she didn't have a crush on him anymore.  
  
"What was your dream about?" asked Neo.  
  
"Well." said Asha, "We were walking down a street-"  
  
"Who's we?"  
  
"You, Trinity, Morpheus, Jon-"  
  
"That's your friend, isn't it? What would he be doing there?"  
  
"I don't know. There was also me, and - someone I didn't recognise. I don't know who it was. Then something bad happened. but I can't remember what." She noticed Neo looking at her sceptically. "Really, I can't!"  
  
"Fine," said Neo.  
  
"Can I start my training now?"  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Well... I'm awake."  
  
"OK," said Neo, "Tank! She wants to start now."  
  
"Now?" said Tank, coming through the door, "You can't say she's not eager."  
  
"Damn straight," said Asha.  
  
* * * * *  
  
"So who am I contacting?" asked Asha an hour later. She had no idea computer hacking was this complicated.  
  
Morpheus handed her a file. "A boy. Eighteen years old. His name's Shane Traven, but goes by the hacker alias Falcon."  
  
"A hacker?" said Asha, impressed, "At eighteen?"  
  
"Yeah," said Neo, "He's hacked into the FBI's main bureau, the Secret Service, the Ministry of Defence...."  
  
"And according to this, discovered the plot of the SIXTH Harry Potter book," said Asha, impressed, "How did he do THAT?"  
  
"He must have got into JK Rowling's computer and downloaded the files," said Neo, "But the interesting thing is that he never sells on any of the information."  
  
"He doesn't?"  
  
"No. He leaves a little note in the centre of the mainframe, saying he's been there, and where their faults are. It's all a game to him. He doesn't do it for profit."  
  
"Nifty..." said Asha.  
  
"Impressed?" asked Trinity.  
  
"Well, yeah," said Asha, "How come I've never found out about him before?"  
  
Neo laughed. "The top organizations in the world admitting that their codes were broken by an eighteen year old? No, the only way we found out is he tried to hack into us."  
  
"He did?" said Asha, yet more impressed.  
  
"Yeah. He didn't make it; the Matrix crashed his computer to stop him finding out. But he'd left messages at each level he cracked."  
  
Asha glanced at the notes in the file. At level two, he'd written 'Tougher than most, but overwhelmed eventually. You need to synchronise your security systems; if they are attacked on several different levels, they leave a gap where people can get in. But so far, I'm impressed. Your friendly Falcon.'  
  
"Cool," said Asha, "When do I go?"  
  
"Tomorrow," said Morpheus, "You ought to get some sleep now."  
  
"OK," said Asha, suddenly realising how tired she was.  
  
* * * * *  
  
That night, Asha woke up again. She'd had another dream - this time, she'd been running through an alleyway, chasing some quarry who had always been just round the corner. Sometimes she caught a glimpse of them, but she could not catch up. She finally started to get closer, and she rounded a corner, somehow knowing that they were round it, and she'd woken up.  
  
She sat up in bed, thinking. Why was she having these dreams? What if Jon was right, and they were premonitions? She shook her head to try and clear it; they couldn't be premonitions, she wasn't Neo.  
  
Little did she know that she wasn't the only one awake.  
  
Neo also was pondering dreams that he was having. Now that Asha had told him that in the film his dreams were premonitions, he was thinking about them more.  
  
The most recent dream he had had, he'd woken up shaking. He prayed that it wasn't a premonition - if it was, they were all in a lot of danger.  
  
*****  
  
Yes, the first of the many, many cliffies coming! Hope this chapter still comes up to your standards. And so begins the custom of CALLOUTS!  
  
Two Bored Idiots - Yes, it's BACK! COWER IN FEAR, LITTLE PEOPLE! BWAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!! Ahem. Sorry about that. Just practising for when I achieve world domination.  
  
Mako - Well, you'll see whether Neo's the One. Again, BWAHAHAHAHA!!!!  
  
Im a Brandybuck - It was a VERY ANNOYING ENDING! GAAAARGH!!! OK, I need to go to anger management classes...  
  
Tanuki Yasha - Maybe better? Whoa! Well, this one has more action, more characters, more confusing stuff and more good ol' humour. More of everything!  
  
Alocin - Oh, he will be. And soon. *cackles* Wait, I shouldn't have told you that, should i?  
  
Luna - Wooo! Pirates of the Caribbean! It rocks the MOST!  
  
Jack Cole - Oh... my... god... LOTS OF PEOPLE ARE READING THIS??? AAAAAARGH!!!!!!! Um, hello people! Heh, heh, heh... I access FanFiction at lunchtime too. And after school. Hahaha. Don't know why that's funny... And sorry, I only update once a week, but I have several other stories for you to read.  
  
Kit - Now there's a storyline I didn't consider. Dammit. But I didn't want there to be an overload of action too early into the story, but you'll get some action soon!  
  
Megami-non-Inazumi - Well, I did feel like I was being slightly mean to Joe- Bob, but he was basically a guy who wanted to appear on the news as a hero. I don't know how I know that, I just do. I think up all these details of my characters that we never actually find out. I know JK Rowling does that too, but I don't just do it cos she does.  
  
AoD - Well, you're going to have to wait! Sorry! But when I was writing this one, I had NO IDEA what the ending was going to be, so I know how you feel. But it's a good ending. Really. And only slightly cheesy.  
  
Sirocco.flow - Hmm, 100 reviews before breakfast? ... Which breakfast? And I act disturbing all the time.  
  
Huntress - Asha is worried about whether what was said in Reloaded was true, but other than that, she isn't really thinking about it. I'm your fave author? That is so sweet, thank you so much! That really means a lot!  
  
Yilantri - Hey, you're right! Hey, wait a minute... then... oh god, they'd better - they'd better not... oh man... Don't worry. Just thinking.  
  
MollyJean - I know what you mean. I suddenly realised that she was exactly like Neo, and that made no sense, because Neo was the system anomaly and she wasn't one. Good to know someone appreciated it though.  
  
Gone-to-jarmadanga - No, I haven't seen Agent Cody Banks, but Pirates of the Caribbean gets 14 out of ten! It's perfect, and Jack Sparrow deserves it to get four bonus points!  
  
See you all next week! 


	3. Falcon

I'm glad that everyone seems to be enjoying this story so much! One thing though - I've noticed several alterations I really ought to make to 'The Second Hope', but I don't know whether there would be any point, and whether I should just not make those mistakes again. What do you think? It's just some stuff really doesn't make sense. Or do you think it did?  
  
This is part of my MEGA-UPDATE before I go to Germany! There are quite a few new Matrix stories I've written, so if you have any time, read them, because I've been told they're funny by one of my friends.  
  
By the way, this story is almost definitely going to be a trilogy now! Trilogies rock. I mean, Lord of the Rings, the Matrix, Star Wars...  
  
Chapter 3 - Falcon  
  
Asha opened her eyes in the bus station. The phone was ringing. She lifted it off the receiver. "Alright, alright, I'm in already," she said. She hung up again, and walked out of the booth. Someone was looking at her oddly. She hastily set off down the street.  
  
Checking her notes, she read that Falcon lived on the third street from the bus station, on the second floor, in the furthest window to the right. She pulled out her palmtop, and started to load up the program Neo had written - it broadcasted a powerful signal that meant that she could hack into anyone's computer within a one-mile radius.  
  
She reached his building and effortlessly pulled herself over the fence. Silently she made her way past the windows. Falcon lived in a surprisingly well-kept apartment building; she could feel families eating their evening meals, couples watching television, and - that must be him. From one room came the buzzing of a mind working intensely. She glanced up and saw that it was indeed the furthest window to the right.  
  
She looked around for a way up. There, a windowsill a couple of metres above the ground. She jumped and caught onto it with her fingertips. She then flipped herself round so that the momentum carried her up to Falcon's windowsill, landing silently - well, close enough. She could have just scaled the drainpipe, but hey, this was cooler. Settling herself down, she pulled out her palmtop again to check that the program was loading.  
  
She glanced into Falcon's room. Looking through the semi-darkness, illuminated only by a lamp and the glow from the computer screen, she saw that it was actually quite tidy; not what she was expecting. She was expecting it to be like Neo's room in the film, but it wasn't. The only cluttered place was the computer, where Falcon was now sitting. Files were spread out on the desk, and floppy disks and CDs were littered around the screen.  
  
Falcon himself was absent-mindedly tapping the keyboard with his right hand, while he read a magazine. Asha looked at the computer screen, and blinked when she saw that he had entered the Mainframe of the Matrix. Falcon, reading a magazine, hadn't yet noticed the symbols of the Matrix starting to cluster in the corners of the screen.  
  
Shit, thought Asha, they'll realise he's there any second. Hurriedly, she pulled out her palmtop, and clicked 'Start'. Glancing at Falcon, she typed her message.  
  
* * * * *  
  
Falcon was reading his magazine when he noticed the room had become considerably darker. Looking at the monitor, he saw that the screen had gone black.  
  
"Damn!" he said loudly. He tapped a few keys, but nothing happened. He still looked calm, but inside he was raging. They couldn't be beating him again, not again. Only one other system had done this to him; this was the second time in a month. He'd found only two systems he couldn't beat in his hacking career, and both in a month?  
  
He didn't even know what he was hacking into. Having discovered a gap in cyberspace, he, unlike many other hackers, had dived straight in. He'd been surprised to discover codes even here, so he knew he'd been onto something big. But his computer had crashed before he could find anything important.  
  
He'd spent the last few weeks trying to rediscover the entrance. Now at last he had, and his computer had packed up again? This couldn't be coincidence. Someone, or something, was stopping him from seeing this. Not that he was intending to sell what he found - he hacked for the sheer thrill of it, and the pleasure of imagining the faces of the people in the system when they found that their security had been breached - by a teenager.  
  
Suddenly green writing appeared on the screen. He blinked. Squinting, he read;  
  
'Tut, tut, Falcon, that's not for you to see.'  
  
Falcon shook his head. This was like that sci-fi film, what was it called - 'The Matrix'. But that was just a film. This was obviously some security measure.  
  
'Are you sure about that?'  
  
Falcon blinked. This was just too weird. But it was true - that film had stirred something in his brain, something hidden. Doubt.  
  
'Awww, you really want to see what's hidden, don't you?'  
  
"Hell yes," muttered Falcon. This was getting very strange. It was almost as if the computer knew what he was thinking. But that was impossible. Wasn't it?  
  
More writing appeared. Falcon, curious in spite of himself, leant forward to read;  
  
'Maybe if you're a good boy you'll find out what's there.'  
  
Now the computer was taunting him. Great. Falcon sighed and reached to pull out the connection. Suddenly more writing appeared.  
  
'Not a Matrix fan I see.'  
  
This was just too weird. What was happening?  
  
'Isn't it ironic? A hacker being hacked.'  
  
Falcon started. This wasn't a security system; someone was hacking into his computer. Who, though?  
  
'Do you want to know who I am?'  
  
"Yes!" called Falcon out loud, not expecting them to hear. To his amazement, more writing appeared.  
  
'Then look out the window.'  
  
Falcon, with mounting trepidation, turned round. He didn't know what he was expecting to see. One thing he definitely wasn't was a fifteen-year-old girl waving at him through the glass, smiling brightly.  
  
Falcon swore extremely loudly, falling off his chair. He shook his head, then looked up again. The girl was giggling. He got to his feet and opened the window. The girl slid into the room, tucking a palmtop into her pocket.  
  
"That- that-" he said, trying to form words, which it is exceedingly difficult when a girl who has just been sitting on your windowsill is laughing at you, "That was you on my computer?"  
  
"Come on, Shane, you're not the only teenage hacker," said the girl, finally drawing breath, "Or can I call you Falcon?"  
  
Falcon found this all just too incredible. "But you're only-"  
  
"Fifteen," said the girl, "You could say I learnt from the best."  
  
"How did you do it?"  
  
The girl grinned and waved her palmtop in front of his face.  
  
"From that? But-"  
  
"If you're confused now, you're going to be majorly confused later," smiled the girl, "I was too. But I'm being rude. My name's Asha."  
  
"Asha..." said Falcon. He knew that name. "Asha? Asha WARNER? The girl who's missing?"  
  
"That's the one," said Asha, "Tell me, have you seen the Matrix?"  
  
"Yeah," said Falcon. He was slightly worried; a girl had just climbed in through his window. Not just any girl, but a girl who'd vanished mysteriously from her house a month ago. And she was asking whether he'd seen the Matrix?  
  
"Great. Did it seem more than real to you?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"Did it stir some deep thought in your mind? Has it set your mind wondering about the world you live in?"  
  
Falcon didn't know what to say. She was right. Since he'd seen it, he'd been wondering about the world. Was it all part of some computer system? Was that- he swallowed - was that he'd nearly hacked into? He glanced back at the girl, who was smiling.  
  
"I'll take that as a yes."  
  
Suddenly her phone rang. Asha pulled it out hurriedly. "Hello?" she said. She was silent for a couple of seconds, but Falcon could hear a voice on the other end. "How far?" she asked, her eyes widening slightly. Falcon could see fear in them now. "Can't you get an exit here? Yes, of course, they would have cut the hardline - just get one ready for me, and tell Morpheus what's going on. No, I don't need any help, not yet anyway, but have them ready in case I call." She hung up hurriedly and raced to the window. "Thank god," she said, when she saw the not so beautiful view of a side alley.  
  
"Falcon!" she called, extending a hand, "We have to go, now."  
  
"What - out there?"  
  
"Yes, out there, come on, it's not that far."  
  
Falcon looked at this girl, who had come out of nowhere, and in the space of two minutes completely undermined everything he'd once thought. There was genuine urgency in her eyes.  
  
He took her hand.  
  
* * * * *  
  
Asha and Falcon fell through the night air, hitting the ground with a painful sounding thud. Asha was on her feet in a second, but Falcon took a little longer. As soon as he was up, she dragged him away as fast as he could go. Closing her eyes, she could sense movement in front of the building. Agents were coming. "Dammit," she muttered, "Dammit dammit dammit."  
  
"Agents?" asked Falcon as they hurried down the street, "Like in the Matrix?"  
  
"This isn't the place I'd have chosen to discuss it, but the Matrix is real," said Asha, "Everything in the film is true. Right now, you're plugged into the power plant."  
  
Falcon stopped. "What?"  
  
"I'm sorry Falcon," said Asha, glancing over her shoulder. The agents were heading their way. "I can't explain fully now, but I'm taking you somewhere you'll get all the answers. But we need to hurry, because agents are coming- "  
  
"I don't believe you," said Falcon, "That can't be true, it just can't be-"  
  
"Falcon, you have to trust me!" said Asha in desperation, "I didn't believe it either, but its true, and we have to go now, because agents are coming! Agents killed my parents!"  
  
Falcon blinked, but continued running beside Asha in silence. Asha led them down another back street, always running, glancing over her shoulder. She couldn't feel them any more, but that didn't mean anything. Finally Falcon spoke again.  
  
"They killed your parents?"  
  
"Yes," said Asha quietly, "One night, they came to my house, shot my parents and tried to kidnap me. I managed to get away, but only just."  
  
"Wow," said Falcon.  
  
They stepped out onto an open street. When they got there, Asha saw two things, which made her blood run cold.  
  
The first thing was that there were two agents standing in front of her, guns raised.  
  
The second thing was that she saw Falcon's face in the light for the first time.  
  
And she now knew who the other person in her dream had been.  
  
*****  
  
Yes, more cliffhangers, I'm sorry... Hope you're not all too mad...  
  
Tanuki Yasha - OK. Glad you like it too!  
  
Two Bored Idiots - Thanks! I tried to write another serious one on LOTR, but it didn't go too well, so I've pretty much given up on it now. Yet this one seemed very successful... slightly scary really... World domination! MWAHAHAHA!!! Still haven't got enough brownies to sate the Wob-Wobs though...  
  
T'Lorie - Yes, I did think you said you liked it. Agents in this chapter, as I realised many people were wanting them, and there'll be plenty more in later chapters!  
  
Luna - No, I haven't seen it. Have you seen Chocolat? That has Johnny Depp as another pirate! He's funny! Not as funny as Jack Sparrow though.  
  
Alocin - Agent Smith will be along at some point in this story, don't worry! You really think I could leave him out of a story? He's nifty!  
  
Kit - Well, I'm trying my hardest not to make her like Neo exactly, because she's not a system anomaly. She's sort of a halfway point between Neo and Morpheus, Trinity and the others. You find out why in later chapters... Intrigued? I was. I had no idea why when I first started writing this.  
  
Sirocco.flow - Hobbits eat second breakfast. I am like a hobbit. Ergo, concordantly, I can have second breakfast if I want. But I don't. I am, however, a strange child. You just need to read to couple of my fics to understand that...  
  
Shadow Peach - That's OK! You really read the whole first story as well? Whoa. Thanks so much!  
  
MollyJean - No, he wasn't, sorry. That wouldn't really make sense, would it? I didn't think so anyway. No, Falcon's just some random guy who I invented with the help of one of my friends. The name just seemed to fit.  
  
Yilantri - Oh no! Hippy partridges are the worst! There will be some aspects of the Matrix: Reloaded in this, but not too many. Like Morpheus said, the reason they made a sequel was that people in the Matrix were becoming suspicious as to whether it was true, so it makes them believe that if there was a Matrix then it would have been destroyed by now.  
  
Im a Brandybuck - Yay! It's out on DVD! The DVD has the parody from the MTV movie awards! Huzzah! Huzzah! Huzzah! Hey, you know when the Architect says 'Whether you are prepared to accept responsibility for the death of every human being on this planet.' Did you spot Gandalf on one of the monitors? Or am I the only one?  
  
Huntress - Uh, why do you want an axe? Should I be worried? Sorry, cliffhangers are what make me keep writing, so expect a lot of them...  
  
KnowInSight - More coming! 


	4. Agents and the Architect

Hi guys! Sorry this has taken so long. I've actually had it finished for ages, I've just been fine-tuning it etc etc. I was slightly worried about this chapter, I didn't think it was all that good, so please tell me what you think. And enjoy it, too, that's important!  
  
Chapter 4 - Agents and the Architect  
  
Asha didn't know what she was more surprised at. She could tell from Falcon's face what he found more surprising; she could see by his expression that this was almost confirming Asha's story, which he hadn't fully believed before.  
  
"Whoa," he said, in true Neo style.  
  
Asha forced herself to put her surprise aside for the moment - time to wonder later. The agents' fingers pulled the triggers of the guns, and Asha caught herself in that split second. Closing her eyes, she grasped the bullets as they flew towards their targets, and redirected them into the atmosphere. Falcon looked impressed.  
  
"What, so you're like Neo?"  
  
"Not exactly," said Asha as she struggled to pull the agents' guns from their hands. They must have been warned about what Asha could do, because they kept a tight grip on them. All Asha could do was make them point anywhere else but them. "I'm more of a reserve."  
  
Asha's phone started ringing. "Could you get that?" she asked, as the agents gave up using guns and resorted to good ol' kung fu. Asha preferred this to guns; seemed to make it fairer.  
  
Falcon blinked, but reached into Asha's pocket as she hit an agent round the head. He gazed in amazement as she jumped into the air and kicked them both at once, causing them to fly down the street. Then the insistent ringing of the phone broke through his shock of such a small girl being capable of such moves without the aid of CGI and wire harnesses, and he answered the phone.  
  
"Um, hello?" he said, as Asha started trying to beat up the agents again, "What? Who? Tank? Neat! Um, yeah, we kinda guessed there were agents... no, Asha's doing fine..." he said, as he watched her grab an agent's leg and flip him over backwards, "Where? Leave her? Are you sure?"  
  
"Yeah, go!" said Asha, "I'm fine." As if to prove her point, she grabbed one of the agents and hurled him at the other.  
  
"Um, yeah, she says go," said Falcon, still looking slightly worried as the agents pulled themselves to their feet and Asha stood their grinning, "What? I can't hear you..." For at that moment, Asha launched herself at the agents with an attack cry, swung round a lamppost and flew towards the agents, boot heels ready and aimed at the place they could do the most damage. Falcon winced. Her aim was deadly. He wasn't going to be crossing her any time soon. Falcon waved as Asha stood there in a karate stance.  
  
As the agents stood up, she gave Morpheus' 'Come on' hand wavy thing. "Bring it!" she said, "You don't want to be beaten by a GIRL, do you?"  
  
The agents didn't notice the evil glint in Asha's eyes, which boys at her school had been so familiar with. Otherwise maybe they would have done what the boys would have done. Run.  
  
* * * * *  
  
About fifteen minutes later, Asha ran to the phone booth, satisfied with a good fight. The fight itself had been over pretty quickly - at the first available opportunity, she had run away down the street. But it had taken time to get to an exit with all the police cars around. The phone was already ringing - she opened her eyes back on the Nebuchadnezzar.  
  
"You'll be giving Neo a run for his money," said Trinity as Asha sat up.  
  
"She already has," said Neo, "Good job on the contacting. He's been unplugged."  
  
"Already?" said Asha.  
  
"Yeah, Asha, you got him convinced," said Trinity, "He's in the medical bay now."  
  
Asha jumped to her feet and scrambled down the ladder to the bay where she herself had been when she was unplugged, and when David had taken her mind into the Matrix. There, on one of the beds, was Falcon.  
  
"We just picked him up," said Neo, "While you were executing particularly painful moves on those agents."  
  
Asha grinned. Who said that there were no perks to this job?  
  
She sat down next to Falcon, who had his eyes shut. He looked remarkably peaceful as he lay there, no visible signs of the fact that his world had been turned upside down.  
  
As she looked at his tranquil face, she remembered the dream that she had had. How could she have seen his face? She hadn't ever seen him before when she had it. And yet Neo, Morpheus, Trinity, Jon and her had been there as well.  
  
Was she having premonitions? She hoped not - she couldn't remember exactly what had happened, but it was something bad. Something involving her. What was going on?  
  
* * * * *  
  
That night, Asha had another dream. This time, she was running. Running down a corridor. She didn't know why, but she knew that she was running away from someone. Doors flashed by on either side. Green doors.  
  
Suddenly the dream changed. Now she was in a room. Asha looked around it. It looked very familiar. What was on the walls was incredibly familiar. It was herself.  
  
"Miss Warner," said a voice she immediately recognised, even though she had only seen the Matrix: Reloaded once. "I trust you know who I am."  
  
"The Architect," said Asha in surprise. This was one weird dream.  
  
The Architect surveyed her over the tips of his fingers. He seemed to be expecting her to say something else. She cast her mind round for something intelligent to say.  
  
"You've got a lot of TV screens," she said. Dammit, she thought.  
  
"Sorry," she said sheepishly.  
  
Wait a minute, she thought, WHY am I apologizing to the Architect? What am I even doing here?  
  
"What-"  
  
"Are you doing here?" finished the Architect. Asha blinked. She wanted to turn away more than anything, but she forced herself to meet his steady stare. "You humans are so predictable. Do you remember what I told Neo when he came here?"  
  
"You told him that the first question we ask is often the most irrelevant," said Asha, "OK, so that's irrelevant to you, but what AM I doing here?"  
  
"You are here to find out things you have been wondering," said the Architect.  
  
Asha was very confused. The Architect trying to rid her of some of her confusion? That didn't make all that much sense.  
  
"I realise that to a simple human mind the idea of me doing such a thing with no ulterior motive is unconceivable. But as you would not understand my motives, I will not waste my time to try and explain it to you."  
  
Asha just nodded. This was getting more confusing instead of less. "But am I actually here, or is this just a dream?"  
  
"Is there much of a difference?" said the Architect. Asha opened her mouth, realised she had nothing to say, and closed it again.  
  
"Your first question will, undoubtedly, be whether these dreams you are happening have any meaning."  
  
Asha nodded again. This guy was good.  
  
"These dreams are telling you what you need to know. You no longer trust the Oracle as avidly as you did before seeing the Matrix: Reloaded, which is a shame, because she is a worthwhile guide to have."  
  
"So they're not true?" asked Asha hopefully.  
  
"I didn't say that," said the Architect, "Sometimes what one needs to know is what will happen."  
  
"Um, OK," said Asha, "Something else - were there five system anomalies before Neo, or was that just the story of the film?"  
  
"There were," said the Architect, "The members of the Council in Zion are the twenty five humans selected by the last one from the Matrix."  
  
"But then... is the prophecy not true?"  
  
"That remains to be seen."  
  
"How will we know?"  
  
"By whether Neo causes the war to end or not," said the Architect.  
  
"Why?" blurted out Asha, "Why are you telling me all this? You're on the side of the Matrix, and I'm fighting against you. Why?"  
  
The Architect surveyed Asha with an expression that she couldn't figure out; was it amusement? Interest? Mild surprise? Before Asha had decided, he glanced at his watch.  
  
"Ah," he said, "We're nearly out of time. But before you leave, I was asked to give you this by someone you knew, and you remember well."  
  
He held out a folded slip of paper. Asha reached out and took it. She glanced at it, then looked at the Architect. He waved formally with one hand.  
  
Suddenly there was a loud alarm going off somewhere. Asha jerked awake. She was back on the Nebuchadnezzar. Trinity came scrambling from her room towards the main deck. Asha, confused, ran after her. As she climbed the ladder, she ran over all that the Architect had said. Had it all been a dream? It felt so real.  
  
"Sentinels," said Morpheus, "Just within radar. I don't know whether they're coming near us yet. Tank, set her down there, just to be safe."  
  
The Nebuchadnezzar nestled between two columns of rock and landed on the ragged floor of the cavern. Asha held her breath as she looked out upon the sewers. There hadn't been a sentinel threat throughout her time on the Nebuchadnezzar; even though she had seen it in the film, and knew that the EMP could get rid of them, she remembered what had happened in the Matrix: Reloaded. She held her breath as she watched it come closer.  
  
Luckily, it swept by, but not before Asha caught a glimpse of the eerie glow that filled the sewers reflecting against the metallic chrome of the machine. Asha's breath caught in her throat when she saw the elegance and the lethality, all in one machine. But Asha had scarcely seen it when it had gone again, and Trinity and Neo were setting out a sigh of relief.  
  
Asha got to her feet, feeling slightly dizzy, though she didn't know why. She followed Trinity to the medical bay to check on Falcon. When she saw him, she remembered what the Architect had told her about her dreams. Was the dream about them all a premonition? Or a guide? She glanced down at her hand, and realised that she was still clutching the slip of paper the Architect had given her.  
  
"What's that?" asked Trinity.  
  
Asha shook her head. It would take too long to explain. Fingers shaking slightly, she unfolded it. She already knew who it was from. There was only one person it could be from. She read, in a neat, formal looking script,  
  
'You know where to go.'  
  
"What is it?" repeated Trinity. Asha looked up at her.  
  
"It's David," said Asha, "He wants to meet me."  
  
*****  
  
Luna - Ah... never update? Sorry, I won't be back for a coupla weeks probably, I'm really busy at the moment... *ducks various projectiles thrown by reviewers*  
  
alocin - Hmm, chairs with fences... now there's a gap in the market...  
  
Kit - See, he's fine. I wouldn't be so mean as to introduce him then kill him off in the following chapter.  
  
Tanuki Yasha - Bit of both, are you happy? And this is just ONE of the major cliffhangers yet to come! MWAHAHAHAHA!!!! Oh, how I love torturing you people...  
  
Yilantri - Now that is true. Cruddy breakfasts. ALWAYS watching? (turns round and sees chickens ducking behind the table) Uh-oh...  
  
Im a Brandybuck - That bit IS really funny! But I was somewhat distracted by my friend muttering swear words non-stop under her breath, as she had been ever since Trinity said "I'm going in," and didn't stop till she was alive again... well, she paused briefly when she thought she was dead, but then quickly started again... IT IS SO FUNNY!!!!! "I LOVE YOU MORPHEUS!!!!" Hahaha, my friend can do such a good impression of him!!!  
  
sirocco.flow - I don't know. Don't think so, I haven't seen them in any of the trailers. I know Persephone and the Merovingian are, but that's it.  
  
M4KO - Hi, very hyper Mako. Hope you've calmed yourself slightly. Now calm. Breathe. Ohm. And you won't know what's going to happen until... well, a long time! Because only THEN will this story come to an end!  
  
Jack Cole - Ja, ich kann Deutsch sprechen, aber erst ein bisschen. Ich wohne in Kent in Sudost England, in der Nahe von Canterbury. Und du? Hahaha, I can speak German!  
  
Huntress - Um, sorry, I would have loved to have taken you guys too but I don't think you would all fit on the coach... Good point, where IS Jon? I'll need to write him in somewhere...  
  
littlefurryscrubcreature - Don't be silly, cliffhangers aren't out to get us. It's chickens. Everyone knows that. Duh.  
  
KnowInSight - Thanks!  
  
MollyJean - I actually think the story gets better as it goes on. Right now I think it could be better, cos it's a little cheesy and Asha-centred. But it gets better, really.  
  
Becca and Elektra - Yes, he's entirely my own creation! As are Asha, David and Jon! I think my fave out of them is a tie between Asha and David, cos Asha's so funny and David is so interesting to write. More hyper than before? Quick, give her more Ritalin, let's see just how hyper we can make her! 


	5. Meeting

Sorry I haven't updated for so long - I've been mega-ultra-super-busy, and also my account was frozen for breaking site rules, and that's why both my party stories have vanished as well. Bummer. However, for those of you who were going to be in the next chapter, I already had it written so I can send it to you if you want. And I've put this message at the stop of all my stories, so if you have a feeling of deja vu, don't worry, it's not the Matrix.  
  
Another exciting chapter coming! I loved writing these chapters. I won't say anything, but I will say that I'm sorry about all these cliffies! I've been going back on this and editing it recently - if you spot something that doesn't make sense, feel free to mention it. And I PROMISE that Neo won't fall in love with Asha. THIS IS NOT A MARY-SUE. I can swear that on - on muffins. There, see how serious I am?  
  
Chapter 5 - Meeting  
  
"You don't have to do this," said Neo as Asha started preparing to leave, "How can we trust him? Last time you saw him he could have killed you, Asha."  
  
"I know," said Asha, "But he won't this time."  
  
"He won't?" said Neo, "How can you be so sure?"  
  
"I can't be sure," said Asha, "But I just know. Unless you've had any dreams that foresee my tragic and painful demise?" Neo's face stiffened. "What?" said Asha, suddenly afraid, "You haven't, had you?"  
  
"No," said Neo.  
  
"You've been having dreams, though, haven't you?"  
  
"Everyone has dreams," said Neo, glancing away. Asha, however, knowing that she was onto something, persisted.  
  
"Neo, if you've been having dreams, you have to tell us. It could be really important."  
  
"It's not, OK?" said Neo, suddenly getting angry, "Unless-" He stopped.  
  
"What?" said Asha, "Unless what?"  
  
Neo looked at Asha. Asha quickly looked into his eyes, and tried to feel the emotions running through Neo's head. She was amazed to find that the main one was fear.  
  
"Nothing," said Neo, "Don't worry about it. You go meet David. I'm sure you know what's best." The anger was still in his voice, so Asha walked away quickly. She felt a hand on her shoulder as she reached the door.  
  
"I'm sorry, Asha," said Neo, and he sounded like he meant it, "I shouldn't have got angry. It's just. these dreams. I know that you think they're important, but I can't share them. I just can't."  
  
Asha nodded. "I can understand that," she said.  
  
* * * * *  
  
"Are you sure you know what you're doing?" asked Morpheus. Asha rolled her eyes. Why was she getting the third degree from everyone?  
  
"Yes," said Asha, "I do."  
  
"Tank will be watching you throughout this meeting. The first sign of trouble, I want you to get to an exit straight away, we'll have several set up near you-"  
  
"I get it, Morpheus, OK?" said Asha, "Everyone thinks it's a bad idea except me. But I'm still going to go, I don't even need to be jacked in, I could go right this second!"  
  
Morpheus held up a hand. Asha tried to calm down. Just because she was in the Real World didn't mean she wasn't hormonal.  
  
"But I'd rather go with my captain's approval," she said.  
  
"We're just worried, Asha," said Morpheus, "We don't want to lose you, and this could easily be a trap. We don't know why he would want to meet you."  
  
"Neither do I," said Asha, "But I've been waiting for this. I can't explain it, but I knew that I'd see him again at some point. That's why I didn't kill him when I had the chance. He still has something to do."  
  
"You sound like Gandalf," said Falcon. He had woken up a few hours ago, and was walking around as if in a dream. Asha smiled at him.  
  
"That's just it. He's like Gollum," she said, "But I don't know how David would feel being compared to a five hundred-year-old schizophrenic hobbit that has an obsession for the One Ring."  
  
"I don't know," said Trinity, "Sounds like they have a lot in common."  
  
Tank stuck his head through the door. "Ready to go?" he asked.  
  
"Yeah," said Asha, and lay down in the chair.  
  
"Do I have a rough idea of where I'm dropping you off?" asked Tank. Asha closed her eyes and thought.  
  
"Manhattan," she said, "Near Bloomingdales, I think." She grinned at Trinity. "Great, I can go shopping while I'm there."  
  
"How do you know?" asked Falcon.  
  
"I just do," she said. She looked round at Neo, Trinity, Morpheus and Falcon. They were all looking at her worriedly. "I'll come back," she said, "Don't worry."  
  
* * * * *  
  
Asha opened her eyes inside an abandoned teashop. She was in the back room. She lifted the ringing phone from the cradle. "I'm in," she said.  
  
"OK," said Tank, "But remember, first sign of trouble-"  
  
"I'll run back here before you can say 'Nebuchadnezzar'" said Asha, "But of course, that takes longer with some people than others. Just quickly."  
  
"Right," said Tank. Asha hung up, and squeezed herself through a narrow back window. She dropped into an alleyway that went behind the teashop. Which way now? She closed her eyes and thought again.  
  
'Forward' she heard. Asha had learnt to listen to this voice. She walked straight forward along the alley, seeming to be following a set path.  
  
Soon she had completely forgotten the way she had come, but it didn't matter; if she concentrated she could feel the hubbub of the main street, which she knew the teashop was near to. In the meantime she trusted her instincts and followed where her feet led her.  
  
Finally she came out into a great courtyard between buildings - very similar to the one where she had first met David. She remembered how scared she had been of him then. With a shudder of anger and, though she hated to admit it, fear, she remembered how he had kidnapped her, and used her as bait to bring Morpheus and Trinity to the agents.  
  
Was she being completely stupid coming to meet him? She remembered Morpheus' words, about how he had no apparent reason to come and meet her. What if this was some other plan?  
  
However, something made her stay. She felt that this was where she was meant to be meeting him, and she stood in the middle, not waiting exactly patiently - she tapped her foot and looked around the courtyard. Great, she thought, if he's going to bother sending me a message through a dream, he might as well turn up on time. Then she remembered he hadn't said just when he was turning up.  
  
She was on the verge of calling Tank when she heard footsteps coming down the alley behind her. She was about to turn round and assume some nonchalant pose, when she realised something. David had always worn trainers with his black ensemble. The footsteps that were coming up behind her were smart shoes. Not just any smart shoes - she had seen the Matrix enough times to recognise those footsteps.  
  
"Miss Warner," said Agent Smith from behind her, "At a risk of sounding clichéd, we've been expecting you."  
  
Asha froze. She knew that she'd beaten Agent Smith once, but Agent Smith with Neo at her side was one thing, but on her own was another. She turned round slowly, determinedly keeping the fear out of her face. Agent Smith was there; only a few feet away from her, looking exactly the way he did last time she'd seen him.  
  
Then she realised what he'd said. "We?" she said, trying to sound nonchalant, but her voice shook, and gave away how afraid she was. Normally she wouldn't let it show, but by the fact he was smiling, well, that was more than enough reason to be uneasy.  
  
"We," he said. Out of the alley behind him came yet more Agent Smiths, all looking exactly the same. Asha felt her heart sink to the bottom of her boots. "All of us."  
  
Asha watched as more and more agents came down the alley and spread into a circle around her. She wished she could be more articulate, but the only thing she could think was 'This CAN'T be good'.  
  
"What are you doing here?" asked Asha, "I would have thought you would have learnt from when I kicked your ass last time."  
  
"And I would have thought that you would have learnt from last time that humour doesn't affect me," said Agent Smith.  
  
"Well, I am a slow learner," said Asha.  
  
'Try to keep him talking' said the voice in her head.  
  
"So, uh, how have you been?" asked Asha. As she talked, she felt her surroundings, looking for a possible escape. There was a window a couple of storeys up, but it was locked. Asha would have tried to unlock it, but it was harder to move things when they were a long way away, especially complicated things like locks. Other than that, there was no escape, except for trying to jump onto one of the surrounding buildings, but that was near impossible because of the overhang. Asha swore internally. This was the perfect place for an ambush - why hadn't she noticed?  
  
"I have been. busy," said Agent Smith.  
  
"Really?" said Asha, trying her luck with the lock. But it was very strong; she may as well have tried to shove a building out of the way. Besides, she didn't even know whether that was a reliable way out. She could sense movement in the building, even though it looked abandoned - what if it had more agents inside? "What you been up to?"  
  
Asha had only seen Agent Smith laugh once, and that was in the preview for the Matrix: Revolutions she'd downloaded from the Internet. And that was creepy enough. Now he was laughing right in front of her, and it was one of the scariest things that she had ever seen.  
  
"You watch too many James Bond films, girl," he said, "Just because you imagine yourself to be the heroine doesn't mean that the 'bad guy' will tell you everything you want to know."  
  
Asha wasn't expecting this response. Was Agent Smith up to something? She wouldn't put anything past a guy who cackled that insanely. Agent Smith didn't seem to have noticed anything, and continued talking.  
  
"Also, unlike a James Bond film, there is no man to coming swooping in and save the heroine at the last moment," said Agent Smith, "But anyway, I am coming off the point. Rather a human trait, I am ashamed to admit, so I will try to avoid it in future."  
  
"The point?" said Asha, wondering how it was possible for only two words to scare her so much.  
  
"I understand that you have now seen the Matrix: Reloaded."  
  
"Yeah," said Asha, "What's that got to do with anything?"  
  
"This," he said. Two Agent Smiths grabbed onto Asha' arms. Before Asha could fight them off, he thrust his hand into the centre of Asha's chest. Asha gasped as she felt a cold wave hit her. She glanced downwards, and saw the blackness spreading from his hand.  
  
This was it. He'd done this to Neo, but he'd fought him off, somehow. She however couldn't think of anything to do. Her mind was filled with shock and cold, she couldn't think of anything else. Neo had described like he was dying, and that was the best way to describe it. She felt her chest seize up, she couldn't breathe. She looked at Agent Smith's face, eyes starting to fill with tears. He was smiling again, this time with real amusement in it. He was enjoying this, enjoying the fact that she was going to die.  
  
The black substance started to creep up her neck and along her limbs. It was engulfing her, and where it went, she lost feeling. This was it. She was going to die. It was inevitable, there was no-one to save her. She struggled to stay conscious, to keep awake, but she felt darkness begin to fill the corners of her brain, and her mind slipping away. Agent Smith's smile grew wider.  
  
"Goodbye, Miss Warner," he said.  
  
****  
  
Now THAT is a cliffie. I'm sorry to leave you on that, but I may not be back for a couple of weeks! Sorry! *ducks projectiles hurled at her by reviewers* Really! I am sorry!  
  
Sirocco.flow - I know, that was very sad. They did however have a guy who seriously reminded me of 'Ello poppet' guy from 'Pirates of the Caribbean'. Whether or not that's a good thing...  
  
Alocin - Yes, there's been a bit of Smithy in this chapter! I thought you'd like that!  
  
Luna - I'll never stop updating fics for good! I still have this story to finish, and my parody, and my parody of LOTR, and even after all those I have about a million other ideas... maybe I'll be in university by then...  
  
Elektra, Becca and Claire - Thanks guys! Not all are loco... I'm a Matrix fan... actually, never mind.  
  
Kit - Well done! I've still got mine this year. I'm sure Asha could kick David's ass again, but you'll just have to see, won't you?...  
  
Im a Brandybuck - That bit was JUST SO FUNNY!!! *laughs at the memory* I also loved the bit with all the Seanns, and one of them started hitting another and saying "Stop - hitting - yourself!" Hahahahahahahahahahaha...... *gets funny looks* I dunno, maybe it's just my imagination that Gandalf's there. It was when he was still grey Gandalf, and there was a dark blue background behind him...  
  
T'Lorie - Many! Not all of them will be appearing yet though!  
  
Huntress - No, it's just where Asha would aim if she were fighting humans. Force of habit, I suppose. This fic has quite a few faults, I don't try and deny them.  
  
Gone-to-jarmadanga - Thanks! Don't know what you think of this cliffie...  
  
Littlefurryscrubcreature - I know they're evil. Probably why I like them so much... I don't have any other outlet for my evil. My reputation in my school year is the 'sweet, kind, innocent, virtuous one', which is good when they're looking for the person who left a mess on the locker room floor (not that that was me. Ahem.) and for getting away with late coursework, but if I try to do something NOT so 'sweet, kind, innocent and virtuous', no-one takes me seriously...  
  
KnowInSight - Thanks! I don't know how soon you'll see it.  
  
Jack Cole - Ooh, du sprechst Deutsch sehr gut. Lernst du Deutch in deine Schule? Danke schon!  
  
MollyJean - Sorry, I'm trying to find ways to fit him in, but it's quite difficult, because I already have this story written (haha, I know the ending!) and I don't know how to get him in again. He does have an appearance before the end, but I think he needs another one... I understand the Architect now! I don't know how that sudden transition came about when I got it on DVD...  
  
Elrothiel - Well, I was trying to make this fic as serious as it's possible for me to be... which isn't very... And yes, I do imagine David as hot. He's my favourite character, actually, along with Asha, because he's so fascinating. Even I don't fully understand him. And I still don't know who Kurt Cobain is, so not really, and Jack Sparrow's fictional, so not him really either...  
  
Deity of Sorrow - *ears prick up* Muffin?  
  
Yilantri - Well, I could only write the Architect to the best of my vocabulary. The longest word I know how to spell is antidisestablishmentarianism, and the Architect wouldn't use that word.  
  
See y'all next update! *waves* 


	6. Deliverance

Sorry about that evil cliffie, I did actually feel bad about that. But they're not going to get any better... Check the title if you don't believe me! And enjoy the next chapter! I wasn't too sure about it, so I'd be happy to hear what you think! Oh, and sorry it's a bit short as well...  
  
Chapter 6 - Deliverance  
  
Asha's mind had nearly fluttered away when suddenly she felt a wrenching pain in her chest. Her mind suddenly returned, and her body was hit with a massive shock that made her gasp, and she fell to the ground. As she lay there, eyes closed, she was aware of movement around her. Something was happening. Warmth had returned to her body, but she didn't care. The shock had left her completely without strength. All she knew was that she was alive, and in essence, still herself.  
  
Suddenly she felt herself being lifted into the air. She felt the sensation of flight. She was aware that someone was holding onto her. After a while, the sensation stopped, and she was put back onto the ground.  
  
"Asha?" said a voice, "Asha! Wake up!"  
  
I don't want to, thought Asha, I want to sleep.  
  
"Asha, come on!"  
  
Asha muttered a profanity and slapped the hand that was resting on her head. But she felt alertness returning to her mind, and her eyes fluttered open.  
  
She was on the roof of a low rise apartment building. Around her was laid out the city of Manhattan, with the ocean gleaming in the distance. She shook her head slightly, and tried to sit up. This made her head spin, and a hand pushed her down again.  
  
"Rest," said the voice, "It's alright. You've been through a lot, but you're safe now." Asha looked up at the source of the voice. She blinked.  
  
". David?" She couldn't believe it. And yet there he was, on his knees next to her. His eyes were unreadable behind his sunglasses. But the fact that he had just saved her was confusing enough to be getting along with. "What. what happened?"  
  
"I was late," said David, shrugging.  
  
"But... but..." said Asha, "Why did you stop him?"  
  
"I don't need to explain all my actions," said David. But there was something in his face that made Asha think. Asha stared at him, trying to figure it out, but he deliberately looked away. Suddenly it hit her.  
  
"That was you, wasn't it?" she said, "The voice in my head? The night the agents came."  
  
David reluctantly nodded. "Thought you'd realise that eventually."  
  
"But why?"  
  
"On the night the agents came for you, they were just going to kill you. I didn't want them to do that. What was the use?"  
  
Asha shook her head. This was too incredible. He had been trying to save her? "And when I went to see the Oracle?" she asked, "It was you warning me about the agents then?"  
  
"I wanted to meet you," he said, "Not get you shot."  
  
"But-" said Asha. She'd just remembered - a voice had told her how to escape when she was being held captive. That couldn't have been David, why would he do that? Then who had that been?  
  
"Have you been hearing other voices as well?" asked David. Asha blinked. She'd forgotten that he could sense certain emotions. David watched her face. "I can tell you have," he said. He looked out over the horizon. Asha watched the back of his head, still on the ground. She tried to get up again, but an overwhelming wave of tiredness prevented her. She propped herself up on her elbows, and tried to reach into his mind. But it took too much effort.  
  
"Why?" she asked. David turned round, an eyebrow raised.  
  
"Has Morpheus never told you why they know that you're the second hope?"  
  
"I-" she began, but then realised that he was right. She didn't know why. "Why?"  
  
David smirked. "That's not for me to tell you," he said, "Ask your precious Neo."  
  
Asha tried to get her thoughts in order, but all this new confusing stuff was filling up her mind, making it very difficult. Plus, she was still shaken and exhausted from Agent Smith's attack; she found it very strange how tired she was, Neo had recovered in seconds.  
  
"Why did you save me?" asked Asha.  
  
David looked out over the city again. He was silent for a while. Asha was about to ask him again when he said "Something's happening, Asha. Something that'll affect the whole of the Matrix, and the real world. There's nothing I can do to stop it." He turned to face her. "But there's something you can do. I needed to tell you, so that you would do it."  
  
"What's happening?" asked Asha, "Is it bad for humankind?"  
  
"Yes," said David.  
  
"Then why are you telling me?" she asked, "You're on the machines' side, remember?"  
  
"How could I forget?" asked David, "But I'll say that it causes some bad things for me as well."  
  
"What is it?" asked Asha again. David opened his mouth to answer, when he saw something behind Asha. His face went emotionless.  
  
"You'll just have to find out yourself," he said, "It seems some members of your crew aren't as grateful as you for me saving your life." With that, he leapt down into the street below. At that second, Neo landed next to her.  
  
"Asha! Are you all right?" he asked urgently, "What happened?"  
  
Asha was too angry to care. "Why? Why did you come?" she asked, "David was about to tell me something important!"  
  
"How can you still trust him?" asked Neo, "After what just happened?"  
  
"It wasn't his fault!" protested Asha, "It was Agent Smith, he found out I was meeting him, and he got to me first, and - well, you know the rest."  
  
"No I don't," said Neo, "We saw Agent Smith come, but then the code went strange. Morpheus immediately sent me in after you. What happened?"  
  
Asha remembered the feeling she'd had, of her mind slipping away. She shivered - if David hadn't come... "He tried to turn me into him."  
  
"He what?!" said Neo.  
  
"Tried to turn me into him," said Asha, "It's something he can do, he can make duplicates of himself. And he would have succeeded if David hadn't saved me."  
  
"Why?" said Neo, "Why would he want to save you? Asha, he tried to KILL you!"  
  
Asha's head was starting to spin again. "He never actually has tried to kill me," she said, suddenly realising, "If anything, all he's ever done is try to stop Agent Smith from killing me."  
  
Neo shook his head in disbelief. "We've got to get you back to the Nebuchadnezzar," he said, "We need to tell Morpheus. Can you stand?"  
  
Asha, leaning on Neo, got shakily to her feet. But she immediately regretted it - the world span around her, darkness rapidly filled her mind again. She gave up fighting and fell unconscious.  
  
* * * * *  
  
As Asha began to fall, Neo reacted quickly and caught her before she hit the floor. He lay her down again. Her eyes were closed, and he couldn't see her breathing.  
  
"Asha!" he called, "Asha! Can you hear me?"  
  
She didn't respond. Neo swore loudly and pulled out his phone. He'd become very protective of Asha over the short time he'd known her, ever since he'd stopped the agents taking her away on that night at her house. He looked on her as his responsibility, and couldn't let anything bad happen to her. He shouldn't have let her go and meet David, he'd known something like this would happen. How could he have let this happen?  
  
"Operator."  
  
"Tank, is Asha still alive?"  
  
Morpheus looked at the screen next to Asha's sleeping body. There was a pulse, but it was quite weak.  
  
"She's alive, Neo."  
  
Neo breathed a sigh of relief.  
  
"But we need to get her back here. There's an exit nearby, in the teashop where Asha came in."  
  
"Right," said Neo. He put the phone back in his pocket and lifted Asha into his arms. He then leapt into the air and flew as fast as he could back to the shop.  
  
*****  
  
I'm just going to reassure you - this story is NOT a Mary-Sue. And onto the callouts...  
  
Luna - Well, not necessarily... *evil smirk*  
  
Artemis - Yeah, that's one of my favourites as well. Sorry, I did over- cliche it... *shame* But in my defence, I thought that it made a good storyline, and interesting character development. It also means that I can show off to my English teacher, who really doesn't like me... "Yes, well, I'm just working on a story. There's some interesting character development as the story progresses..." Ahem. Sorry about that. Anyway, I hope you didn't find it too bad.  
  
MollyJean - Me + muffins + compliments = HAPPY! Good guess about David, by the way! Smithy wasn't using a blocker, as you saw in this chapter. Glad you're enjoying it! In case you're wondering, the reason Neo didn't turn up till then was that it took a moment to find her.  
  
Im a Brandybuck - Well, I'm sure he would be slightly worried. Maybe not very scared, but slightly worried. And, as Asha proves, ANYONE can be a hero! It depends on what you do with your life! *cheesy music starts up* OH NO!!! I'M TURNING INTO HARRY POTTER!!!  
  
Kit19 - *ducks projectiles* Two? Two never came... *looks out into the garden and sees Two coming* AAARGH!!! STAY BACK!!! I HAVE CHEESINESS!!!  
  
Two: NOOOO! *runs away*  
  
Deity of Sorrow - Aah! I'm hurrying I'm hurrying! *doubles typing speed*  
  
KnowInSight - Uh, short and to the point.  
  
Alocin - Don't worry, lots of my reviewers are Smithy fans. Don't blame you. I thought about letting Smith Smithify her, but then I thought, 'Uh, haven't you got a story to finish after this?' Then I thought about letting his failed attempt affect her, so that she can hear things that are going on far away (like an agent's earpiece) but THEN Harry Potter 5 came out, and I thought 'OK, this story's enough like Harry Potter already...' What do you think?  
  
Yilantri - Fie on me? Sorry that you don't like the fact that I exist... Would you like me to stop existing? Ahhh, but then you'd never find out the ending... Which is also going to be on a slightly different track from the Matrix: Revolutions...  
  
Huntress - Well, I don't think it was. I deliberately didn't make it so that he couldn't - uh - Smithify her, as alocin put it. Otherwise she would be too much like Neo, and I'm really trying to keep this story from doing that.  
  
Littlefurryscrubcreature - Yup. Sweet and innocent. That's me. That's probably why two girls in my year were so shocked when they discovered that when it comes to basketball, I am BRUTAL.  
  
Sirocco.flow - That's another thing I'm brutal with - cliffies. Maybe I am doing too many... And yes, it was the trainman dude. He's supposed to be like Charon, who rowed the souls of the dead across to the Underworld, where Hades and Persephone lived... ring any bells?  
  
Elektra, Becca and Claire - Oh dear. Penguins, stop stealing Elektra's sanity. Come and deal with the vampires in my wardrobe, or steal brownies for my Wob-Wobs. They're getting hungry.  
  
Gone-to-jarmadanga - Did I send it to you? I can't remember, I've just had so much to do - my brain is actually full. As soon as I shove in another bit of information, an older bit is forced out. That's why people don't like sitting on my right hand side during lessons...  
  
Theshiz - Of course I have! I saw it the day it came out! Sorry I - uh - cliffhangered you. You'd better get used to it...  
  
Jack Cole - Mein Lieblingsfach ist Kunst. Ich mag auch Kunst, Religion, Mathe und Latein. Ich finde Deutsch in Ordnung. And naughty Hobbit-eyes broke a couple of site rules, not purposefully though. Naughty Hobbit-eyes breaks rules without meaning too, precious. Naughty Hobbit-eyes doesn't mean any harm. And naughty Hobbit-eyes is getting sick of talking in the third person.  
  
Sci-freak GrodySpork - I know! My friend reads all my stories, and we went to see the Matrix: Revolutions together. When we saw that, we both turned and stared at each other in absolute shock, and I squeaked, "They stole my idea!"  
  
Anyways, see all you peeps later! When I next update! Which should be soon, as soon as I now have the whole Christmas holidays to write my stories! 


	7. Discoveries

It's official - this story will be a trilogy. Which is good, because I adore trilogies! This section of the trilogy is slightly shorter than the first section, but the third section, which, I think, is the best of the three, will be quite long. So look forward to that! And I know that was a lot of commas... Hope you like this chapter!  
  
Chapter 7 - Discoveries  
  
Neo kicked the window outside the shop in, and clambered through, still holding Asha protectively. The phone was already ringing. He paused - how was he going to do this? He grabbed Asha's hand, and used it to pick up the phone, and he held it to her ear. Thankfully, she vanished, and the phone fell to the ground. He hung it up, and waited for his turn to come. The phone rang again. He picked it up, opened his eyes, and was back on the Nebuchadnezzar. Morpheus had already lifted Asha from the chair and was carrying her to the medical bay. Neo leapt to his feet and followed, his arm round Trinity.  
  
"Are you all right?" he asked. Trinity shook her head.  
  
"Why?" she said, "She's just a kid. Why does she have to go through this?"  
  
Neo wrapped his arms round her. "She's not just any kid," he said, "She's smart, and she can look after herself. She's going to be fine."  
  
"How do you know that?" she asked, "We don't even know what's wrong with her."  
  
"We don't," said Neo, "And I can't promise she'll be fine. But we can hope that she will be."  
  
Trinity followed Morpheus to the medical bay, Neo right behind her. They watched as he looked at her carefully, checking her pulse and brain activity. Finally he stood upright again. "She's OK," he said, "She's just completely exhausted. She must have had some great physical shock, and her brain just switched off. Did she tell you what happened, Neo?" he said, turning to him.  
  
"Yeah," said Neo, "He said Agent Smith tried to turn her into him, or something."  
  
"Did you see her vital statistics when the screen went all weird?" said Falcon, "Her pulse went right up, but then got weaker and weaker, and her brain activity almost stopped. Also, her temperature went right down. It was like she was dying."  
  
"Her body is trying to recover from the shock," said Morpheus, "There's nothing more we can do, but wait, and hope she'll fight."  
  
*****  
  
Asha opened her eyes. To her surprise, she was back on the Nebuchadnezzar, in the medical bay. She racked her brains as to what had happened - she'd been on the roof, when suddenly she'd passed out. How did she get back here? She supposed that Neo had brought her.  
  
"Asha," said a voice to her right. She turned and saw Morpheus, looking very relieved. "Are you all right?"  
  
"I'm feeling fine," said Asha, "Why are you here? What time is it?"  
  
"Its just after midnight," he said, "You've been unconscious for over twelve hours."  
  
"Twelve hours?"  
  
"Yes. Neo brought you back here, and you were in a very weak condition. I'm here because as the evening came, your condition was steadily worsening, and we were worried that you wouldn't make it. But suddenly you improved, and now you're awake."  
  
Asha thought back to that courtyard. All those Agent Smiths. And what had nearly happened... She shivered. She hadn't seen the Matrix: Revolutions, so she didn't know for sure what Agent Smith's ultimate plan had been when he'd taken over that guy's body, but she knew for sure that it couldn't have been good.  
  
"I should go and wake Neo and Trinity," said Morpheus, "I only managed to persuade them to go to bed when I promised them I'd fetch them if there was the slightest change in your condition, for better or for worse." He got to his feet and started to walk away, when Asha thought of something.  
  
"Hey, Morpheus," she called.  
  
"Yes?" he said, pausing on his way to the door.  
  
"Um... How did you know that I was the second hope?"  
  
Morpheus looked at her. He seemed to be thinking. Finally he walked back to Asha's bed, and sat down next to it. He sat in silence, seeming to be lost in thought. Asha waited, not quite sure whether he was actually going to tell her.  
  
"Do you remember when I told Neo that he was the One?" he asked suddenly, making Asha jump slightly.  
  
"Yes," she said, "On the Nebuchadnezzar, right?"  
  
"Yes. Do you remember that I told him about a man before him, who could remake the Matrix as he saw it?"  
  
"Yeah. And it was prophesied that he would return and end the war-"  
  
"Yes. But the fact that concerns you is that you are a direct descendant to him."  
  
Asha blinked. "I am?"  
  
"Yes. He had a girlfriend in the Matrix before he was unplugged. Now, it was prophesied that the first daughter descended from him would be the second hope. Just before he was unplugged, his girlfriend became pregnant. She had a son, and he had a son, and he had a daughter. And that is- you."  
  
"Why didn't he choose her to be freed, then?" asked Asha.  
  
"Couldn't find her in the time given, I suppose," said Morpheus, shrugging, "We'll never know. We were watching you for some time. As soon as we were alerted to the fact that he had a female descendant."  
  
"Why did you wait so long to contact me, then?" she asked.  
  
"We were going to wait until you were twenty," said Morpheus, "But the agents became aware of your existence, and decided that you had to be eliminated. That's why you were unplugged slightly early."  
  
Suddenly Neo and Trinity ran in, closely followed by Tank and Falcon. "Asha!" said Neo.  
  
"We told you to come and wake us!" said Trinity, slapping Morpheus' head.  
  
"We were having a little chat," said Morpheus, "Telling her about her heritage."  
  
"D'you mean-"  
  
"Yes," said Morpheus, "She knows now."  
  
Asha was scarcely listening. She was looking at Neo's eyes. Dark brown, thoughtful, and a hint of something deeper.  
  
Her eyes.  
  
*****  
  
Within a couple of days Asha had recovered enough to be able to move around the ship, but if she did too much her chest would start hurting. So she was spending her time overseeing Falcon's training.  
  
Falcon opened his eyes. He'd had to take his training in two days, being completely exhausted after 8 combat training disks. Now he'd finished.  
  
"That was weird," he said, "Now I know how to fight like Neo!"  
  
"Not exactly like Neo," reminded Asha.  
  
"Can I go to that training program and fight Morpheus?" he asked.  
  
Asha glanced at the control deck. "He's busy," she said, "But you can fight me."  
  
"No way," said Falcon, "I've seen you fighting those agents, you show no mercy whatsoever!"  
  
"Aw, come on," said Asha, "You're not scared, are you?"  
  
"Yes," said Falcon, without a moment's hesitation.  
  
Asha laughed. "Wow, I love being the second hope. Guys are scared of me!"  
  
"They weren't before?"  
  
"Not as much."  
  
"More fool them."  
  
"Come oooon," whined Asha, "I'm boooored, I won't hurt you." He looked at her with raised eyebrows. "Much."  
  
"All right," said Falcon. Neo came in.  
  
"What gives?" he asked.  
  
"Can you load us up?" asked Asha, settling herself down into one of the chairs, "Falcon says that he'll fight me."  
  
Neo looked at him with raised eyebrows. "Rather you than me."  
  
* * * * *  
  
"Feeble," said Asha, "I beat you rotten."  
  
"Well, you're a prophesied hope with the half the same powers as Neo," said Falcon. After a moment he added "Plus, I wasn't expecting you to start tickling me."  
  
"No-one ever does. How do you think I defeated those agents?"  
  
Since Falcon had got used to the fact that the Matrix was real, he had opened up a lot more, and he and Asha often stayed up late chatting about their lives before they were unplugged. Morpheus took advantage of this by making them take the night watch.  
  
"You're chatting anyway," he said, "You may as well do it while the rest of us get some sleep."  
  
Asha found that she could talk more easily about what had happened to her with Falcon than with Neo or Trinity. In turn, Falcon told her about his life.  
  
"I always loved computers," he said one night, while they were watching the code of the Matrix. Asha had learnt how to look through the code and see what was happening in the Matrix. She'd started giving Falcon lessons. "I got my first one when I was twelve. My dad showed me his when I was eight, and I was hooked immediately. I saved up all my pocket money for four years and bought my own one. My older brother had some friends and one of them introduced me to hacking. At first I was just hacking into companies, finding out stock prices and stuff. Kids stuff."  
  
"Kids stuff?" said Asha, "I couldn't have done that in a million years."  
  
"Yeah, well, you didn't have a screwed up childhood. My dad was an alcoholic. My mum was depressed. My brother was a druggie, and - well, you know what sort of friends he had."  
  
"Wow," said Asha. She didn't know what to say. She could see in his face how difficult this was for him to tell her. "So how old were you by then?" she said, hastily changing the subject.  
  
"Um..." he said, thinking hard, "It's so difficult recalling that life. It seems a million years ago."  
  
Asha nodded.  
  
"I guess I was fourteen when I started hacking companies. But I got bored. All I was doing was finding out stocks, and all I could do with that information was sell it on. Good for extra pocket money, I was able to buy a new computer, but other than that...  
  
"When I was about fifteen, two things happened. One, I saved up enough money through hacking, and I ran away from home."  
  
"You ran away?" blurted out Asha, "Why?"  
  
Falcon looked at her skeptically. "You were listening about my home life, right?"  
  
"Right," said Asha, turning red, "Sorry, I should've-"  
  
"Its OK," said Falcon, "Yeah, I ran away. I sold my computer, I took all the money I had and ran away to London. Streets paved with gold, right? I ended up in some grotty flat which had more wildlife in the kitchen than London Zoo."  
  
"Ick," said Asha, again wishing that she could be more articulate.  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"But you mentioned two things?"  
  
"Yeah. I realised that company hacking was boring. I started cracking the big boys. MI5, KGB, CIA..."  
  
"JK Rowling..."  
  
"That?" said Falcon, "Oh yeah, I was bored one evening."  
  
"Whoa," said Asha, "When I'm bored I drink vanilla coke and go on fanfiction. You find out major plotlines."  
  
"Yeah. Well, I still did a bit of company hacking to earn money, and soon I was able to buy a bigger flat without mould. I also decided to start helping out companies defend their information. I mean, it was getting a little easy, and I didn't care. I was doing it for the thrill."  
  
"I saw on your file."  
  
"I have a file?" said Falcon, sounding impressed, "Cool..."  
  
He looked at the computer screens, where the green symbols were falling, always falling. They made Asha get dizzy if she looked at them for too long. "So what am I looking at here?" he asked.  
  
"Oh, you know," said Asha, "Blonde, brunette, redhead..."  
  
Falcon laughed. "Could really do with some of that drink Dozer makes, huh?"  
  
"Why? The engine greasy? Your head feeling a bit swollen?"  
  
"Well, maybe my greasy engine is a bit swollen, or my swollen head is a bit greasy..."  
  
By now Asha was in fits of giggles. This amazed her. She hadn't had vanilla coke in days, yet here she was, clutching her sides. But then again, she could get hyper if she wanted to without vanilla coke. Falcon was watching her giggle with mild surprise mingled with fear of this insane girl, snorting and spluttering in front of him. "It wasn't even that funny," he said.  
  
"I know," said Asha, finally being able to draw breath, "I'm just hyper."  
  
Neo came out of his room. Asha nearly laughed when she saw his hair mussed up, looking even more vacant than he had in 'Bill and Ted'.  
  
"What are you doing awake, Neo?" she asked, "We're doing fine."  
  
"It's-" began Neo, but stopped himself. "Nothing. I was awake anyway, so I thought that I'd let you get some sleep."  
  
"Did you have another bad dream?" she asked. Neo didn't answer. Falcon had jumped to his feet when Neo came in - he was still slightly in awe of the system anomaly, no matter how scruffy his hair looked - and Neo sat down in the vacated seat.  
  
"Go and get some sleep," said Neo, "We're going to see the Oracle tomorrow."  
  
Falcon shot an intrigued look at Asha. Asha, however, felt worried. Neo was having dreams, she just knew it. They could be really important. She headed to leave, but as she did, she felt into Neo's mind. She could feel a mixture of confusion, anxiety, and fear. This, however, wasn't the most important thing, the thing that nearly made Asha gasp out loud.  
  
The fear was of Asha.  
  
*****  
  
Now that's a moment for a DURN DURN DURN if there ever was one!  
  
Kit19 - I'm cold too... why can't it snow at least? Stupid country.  
  
Theshiz - Last year at Christmas it snowed only a little, but I insisted on going out and building a snowman. Which I did - it was only about fifteen centimetres tall, but the essence was there...  
  
Elektra, Becca and Claire - The penguins will never stay away, until all 882 of the identical pieces of Aztec gold are returned and the blood repaid...  
  
Sci-Freak GrodySpork - Yes. Interested. That's a good way of putting it.  
  
Mako - Yes, another evil, evil cliffie. I do like cliffies, though. I have no idea why. Yes I do - it makes me want to write more chapters.  
  
Im a Brandybuck - I'm trying not to turn into him, but it's becoming harder every day... *shudder*  
  
Gone-to-jarmadanga - That's a terrible plotline! I mean - Fiji? He OBVIOUSLY wants to take her to Mauritius!  
  
Alocin - That's a really good idea for a sign! We should have produced some before the Matrix: Reloaded... And it is difficult to make Smithy win in fics, so I just try to make it so that he doesn't lose outright. Because Smithy is incredibly cool, albeit creepy and mean.  
  
Artemis - That's OK! Even if you didn't like my story, I wouldn't mind. It's not for everyone. For example, my sister hates it with a burning vengeance... she says that it's cheesy. I don't deny that it's cheesy in places, but some people LIKE cheese. And no, I probably won't ever guess which ones are yours... damn.  
  
Huntress - No, he just doesn't trust David. Think about it - the only time Neo's ever met David, he was shot a couple of seconds later. No one really trusts David - not even Asha, entirely. Neo just thinks that Asha's being tricked.  
  
MollyJean - Sorry it was short. This chapter was slightly longer.  
  
Luna - Look who died in Revs? Hmm, where do I start? Uhh... the guy who played Ugluk in the Two Towers, other people who were there for interesting angsty plotlines, and I won't mention anyone else in case someone's reading this callout who hasn't seen it yet.  
  
T'Lorie - Well, that's just it - has he changed? Or was he not completely evil before? Hmm...  
  
Deity of Sorrow - Well, if that's not a reason to update, I don't know what is...  
  
Jack Cole - I'll try and look as soon as I can, but when I go online to update these stories it'll be my only chance to go online before Christmas. Sorry.  
  
Speaking of which, have a merry Christmas, y'all! 


	8. Confusion

Sorry about the total 'durn durn durn' moment at the end there, in hindsight it was more than a little cheesy. But I really can't be bothered to change it now... Just so you know, there's quite a lot of talking in this chapter. I try to fit in more actions, but then it just reads really strangely. Hope you don't mind too much the fact that this story is marginally cheesy...  
  
Chapter 8 - Confusion  
  
Asha lay awake, staring at her ceiling. What was going on? David had said that something was happening in the Matrix. Neo was scared of her. What was happening?  
  
"Hey Asha," said a voice behind her. Asha swivelled round, but she didn't need to. She knew who it was.  
  
"You're good," said Asha.  
  
"I aim to please," said David.  
  
Great, thought Asha, Another reason to be confused.  
  
"What are you doing here?" she asked.  
  
David shrugged. "Wasn't doing anything. Tapped into your thoughts. Found that you were a bit confused. There's nothing more annoying than a confused heroine, because then you get those long talks at the end of the adventure, and those are so boring..."  
  
"You tapped into my thoughts?" Without realising she was doing so, she grabbed onto her head, as if trying to stop him gaining access to her head.  
  
"Well, yeah. I was bored."  
  
"Well, next time, just buy a Playstation or something, OK? Stay out of my head."  
  
Asha then realised just how absurd this conversation was. "Wait a minute," she said, "About a month ago, you came here to try and kidnap me and make me join the agents. And now, you show up for a 'friendly chat' because you were 'bored'?"  
  
David shrugged. "Before, I thought that you were a girl who was easily intimidated. I thought that I could scare you into joining us. But, as you remember, you have a stronger mind than I anticipated..."  
  
Asha grinned as she remembered throwing David around the room. That had been very satisfying. She then shook herself.  
  
"But - but - how do I know that you're not up to something now?" asked Asha, "As far as I know, you've told the agents that we're going to see the Oracle tomorrow, and they're waiting to ambush us!"  
  
"No I haven't," said David, "For one thing, I didn't know that you were going."  
  
"Oh," said Asha, and hit herself on the head. How could she have been so stupid? She made to hit herself again, but her hand stopped in mid-air. She looked up to see David's eyes fixed on it.  
  
"Don't hit your head," he said, "And for another, I still need you to do something for me. You remember how I told you that something was happening?"  
  
"Oh yeah!" she said.  
  
"Yes, well, something's happened. The plans have been brought forward. It's going to begin soon."  
  
Asha's brain had scarcely registered this information when footsteps came running towards her room. The door swung open, and Neo was standing on the threshold, his eyes blazing as he saw David.  
  
"You!" he said, looking like he was torn between anger and disbelief, "What are YOU doing here?"  
  
"I've got to be going, Asha," said David, "Nice to know my rescuing you is appreciated." He vanished.  
  
"Neo!" said Asha angrily, "WHY do you keep DOING that?!?!?"  
  
"What's going on?" he said, "What was he doing to you?"  
  
"Nothing," said Asha angrily, "All he was doing was stopping me hitting my own head, and warning me about something that was happening in the Matrix. Why did you come?"  
  
"I came because I thought that you might be in danger," said Neo, eyes still flashing, "Sorry that I showed concern. I'll wait for you to cry for help next time, but if you remember rightly, that was too late last time, wasn't it?"  
  
Asha looked at the floor. "I'm sorry," she said, "It's just - he was trying to tell me again."  
  
"Tell you what?"  
  
"Tell me what's going on in the Matrix." Asha looked up into Neo's eyes. He was looking calm, albeit still slightly scruffy-looking, but Asha could feel turmoil in his mind. Confusion, anger, hurt, surprise, and mingling with it all, a fear of Asha. Where was it from? "Something's happening, and he's trying to warn me about it. He said - he said that the plans had been brought forward, and that it was going to begin soon. What can he mean?"  
  
"I don't know," said Neo, "We're going to see the Oracle tomorrow anyway, you can ask her about it then."  
  
"Great," said Asha, "THEN we'll get a straight answer."  
  
* * * * *  
  
"So, is the Oracle real?" asked Falcon as they drove through the Matrix.  
  
"Mmmm," said Asha, not really listening. She was looking out of the tinted windows, looking for any possible sign of agents. Though David was being much less, well, evil than before, she still didn't trust him. Neo was also uneasy, but she couldn't tell why. Probably the whole fear of her thing.  
  
She suddenly realised that Falcon was still talking. "I'm sorry, what?"  
  
"I was just asking what the Oracle told you."  
  
"Oh..." said Asha, "She, um, confirmed that I was the second hope, and that I was in danger."  
  
"Were you?"  
  
"Well, yeah, five minutes later I was running away from agents."  
  
"Wow," said Falcon, "Accurate."  
  
"Yeah, just a little." Falcon looked pensive and looked out the window. But Asha felt her stomach twist threateningly. In all the other confusing things buzzing round her head, the Oracle's words had been forgotten. She still had that choice to make, about Neo. Great. Her life was now just that little bit more worrying. And she thought that at this point she'd only be worrying about her GCSEs. Instead, she was thinking about her choice to save the life of the One, what was happening that could affect the whole of mankind, and in her spare time worrying about sentient programs coming after her and turning her into one of them.  
  
"We're here," said Morpheus, "Come on Falcon, Asha."  
  
*****  
  
While a white-looking Falcon was led into the kitchen, Asha went into the living room and looked around.  
  
"Where's Spoon Boy?" she asked one of the potentials, a little girl with long red hair down her back. She had been frowning at some blocks, but immediately looked up and stared at Asha confusedly.  
  
"Who?" she asked quietly.  
  
"Oh - the boy I was talking to last time I was here. The one bending spoons?"  
  
"I don't know," said the girl, "I only came here last week."  
  
"Oh," said Asha, "Is there anyone else here from say, a month ago?"  
  
"No," said the girl, "They've all gone."  
  
"Gone where?"  
  
"To the Real World."  
  
Asha blinked. He'd been unplugged. She'd never thought of that - she thought that he'd just be bending spoons forever.  
  
"Who are you?" asked the little girl.  
  
"I'm Asha."  
  
"Which ship are you on?"  
  
"The Nebuchadnezzar. Why?"  
  
The girl's eyes widened. "With Neo?"  
  
"Yeah. Why?"  
  
"The woman who found me told me about him. He's going to save everyone, isn't he?"  
  
"I hope so," said Asha, remembering the Matrix: Reloaded.  
  
Falcon came out of the kitchen, still looking vaguely pale, but now clutching a cookie. Asha smiled at the girl, then ran to meet him.  
  
"Good news?" she asked, but the smile faded from her face when she saw his face. "What's wrong?"  
  
Falcon shook his head. "Does she EVER give good news?"  
  
"Not in my experience," said Asha, "Why, what did she say?"  
  
"She said..." began Falcon, but paused.  
  
"You don't have to say-"  
  
"No, its alright," said Falcon, "She told me that nothing lasts forever."  
  
"Um..." said Asha, "Alright. That's, um..."  
  
"I know, I know, it doesn't necessarily refer to me," he said, "But why else would she tell me? What could she mean?"  
  
"Did she say anything else?"  
  
Falcon shook his head. "I'd rather keep that to myself."  
  
"That's OK," said Asha, "I haven't told you all that she told me."  
  
The priestess came up to Asha. "Asha?"  
  
"Yeah, I'm coming," she said, "See you outside, Falcon."  
  
"Hope your news is better," he said.  
  
"Yeah," said Asha, "Me too."  
  
*****  
  
One good thing about this chapter - no evil cliffie! I thought you deserved a break.  
  
Im a Brandybuck - I know more about Harry Potter than is good for me... before the films came out I was a major fan of it...  
  
Jack Cole - Return of the King solves all problems! I need to go and see it again... Why do people always look at me so strangely when they hear that I've already seen it three times?  
  
Tanuki Yasha - Character developyness is always good! Which is probably why I'm going to write a whole story about David, for LOADS of character developyness!  
  
Luna - My Christmas was pretty cool, except when my step relatives descended upon the house... My grandfather married again, so I have HEAPS.  
  
Becca and Claire and Tru - Vampire penguins? Not more additons for the maniacal menagerie.  
  
Theshiz - Well, they won't just yet. I mean, that really IS too cheesy for words if it happened - straight away, anyway.  
  
Alocin - I really ought to put a warning at the beginning of each chapter that readers read the cliffhangers at their own risk.  
  
Huntress - Really? You obviously haven't met my best friend.  
  
KnowInSight - More coming!  
  
Sirocco.flow - Yes, I did know, but I have it on video anyway! And the sequel! But I also love Back to the Future, which is the same sort of idea. 


	9. Trouble

Hi people! I'm updating over a period of time now, because there's no way I can update all at once and get all of those callouts ready. Hope you like this chapter, it's all going to get dramatic again veeeerrry soon. Mwahahaha. Actually, that was pretty feeble, MWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!  
  
Chapter 9 - Trouble  
  
Asha almost ran into the kitchen, hoping that maybe some of her fears would be vanquished. The Oracle looked up as Asha entered the room.  
  
"Well, well," she said, surveying the half fearful, half hopeful teenager in front of her, "Asha. Haven't seen you for a few weeks. You're my most regular visitor."  
  
"You always have something different to say," smiled Asha, looking around hopefully for cookies. She glanced back at the Oracle, to find her holding out a plate already. Asha took one, but didn't eat it straight away.  
  
"So," said the Oracle, "You've seen the Matrix: Reloaded."  
  
"Uh, yeah..." said Asha, "It said..."  
  
"I know what it said," said the Oracle, "Some of my kids went to see it."  
  
"Oh." Asha took a bite out of her cookie.  
  
"You're wondering whether it's true," she said.  
  
"Well... maybe."  
  
"That's not important," said the Oracle. Asha blinked. "What's important is whether you will still believe what I told you, and what I may tell you in future."  
  
"But you already know whether I'll believe you," said Asha.  
  
"I do," said the Oracle, "But you still need to understand why you think that."  
  
"I'll believe you for certain when something you tell me comes true," said Asha.  
  
"Sensible," said the Oracle, "You truly have your great-grandfather's mind." Asha beamed. She hadn't known him, but if he was like Neo, that was a compliment. "I can't keep you long."  
  
"I'm not in danger again, am I?" moaned Asha.  
  
"You will always be in danger," said the Oracle, "You will never find safety anywhere, not while you're aware of the Matrix."  
  
"Great," said Asha, "Fabulous."  
  
"Is there anything you want to ask me?"  
  
"Uh, yeah," said Asha, wondering what to ask first, "Um... do you know what's happening in the Matrix?"  
  
"No," said the Oracle. Asha blinked. "Because it's not definite what's going to happen yet. Your actions have yet to determine it."  
  
"Oh. Um. OK. Hey wait-" She suddenly thought of something, "This doesn't have something to do with my choice, does it?"  
  
"You'll have to decide that for yourself," said the Oracle. Asha felt like screaming. This was getting too confusing for her.  
  
"Don't worry," said the Oracle, "It'll all start to make sense soon."  
  
"But that could be good or bad," protested Asha, "You're not being very helpful."  
  
"Remember, I'm not a prophet," said the Oracle, "I'm a guide."  
  
"Hmph. Great."  
  
"You must leave now," said the Oracle, glancing at the clock on the wall, "Your destiny is waiting."  
  
"My - what, sorry?" said Asha, "Are you trying to be cryptic?"  
  
"What's the fun of being an Oracle if you can't be cryptic?" said the Oracle, "Really, though. If I told you straight out, it could affect your fate, and that could affect the whole of mankind."  
  
"Oh," said Asha, suddenly feeling about two inches tall, "The entire world depends on what happens to me?"  
  
"Not what happens," said the Oracle, "The choices you make."  
  
"Oh," said Asha again. She started to leave, when the Oracle called out,  
  
"Asha, whatever choice you make, this will be the last time I ever see you. So I need to tell you now. Soon, you will have the chance to be the heroine. It won't be your time. What seems heroic at the time will cause the reverse effect. You will have to get out."  
  
Asha had given up trying to figure out the meaning of the Oracle's words. She just nodded and went back into the living room. Falcon was chatting with one of the little girls, who was showing him how she could levitate a block into the air. He looked fascinated. Asha watched for a moment with amusement, then cleared her throat. Falcon jumped to his feet, reddening slightly. "I think it's time to go," she said, a smile creeping onto her face.  
  
"So?" said Falcon as she walked out into the hallway with him, "How was it?"  
  
"Uh..." said Asha, "Not great, but, um, not too bad."  
  
"She didn't talk to you for long." She and Falcon headed towards the lift. Morpheus hadn't bothered to come up with them, believing Asha to be perfectly capable of looking after them both.  
  
"I know, she said that she couldn't keep me long." They stepped into the lift, and started to descend to the ground floor. Asha could feel her heart sinking as well, though she wasn't sure why. "She said that my destiny was waiting or something. What could she mean?"  
  
Falcon shrugged. They stepped outside into the glorious America sunshine. Morpheus was waiting outside. They got back into the car, Morpheus learning from Asha's face that he shouldn't ask.  
  
*****  
  
Jon was on the Internet, as he so often was nowadays. His parents thought that he was coping very badly with Asha's disappearance; especially since he was spending most of his time trawling news websites for news of her. They thought it was because he was looking for any clue as to where she was. This was half right - he was checking to see if she'd been killed. He doubted he'd be able to find out any other way.  
  
One time he'd gone onto Fanfiction, where she updated regularly, and posted on her bio that she wouldn't be back for a while. There were some regretful messages from her frequent reviewers - she had a certain branch of strangeness that seemed popular.  
  
Suddenly his phone rang. He checked the number and saw that it was his sister. Frowning slightly, he answered - why would she be calling him? She was out with her friends, wasn't she? "Hello?"  
  
"Jon?" came her voice. She sounded really quite worried, so Jon sat up immediately.  
  
"What is it? Are you OK?"  
  
"Well, this'll sound really weird, but - you're a big fan of the Matrix, aren't you?"  
  
"You could say that. Uh, why?"  
  
"It's just - I've only seen it once or twice, so I thought I ought to check. There's some middle-aged looking guys across the street from me and Carla, parked in a black car, and they keep on looking at us..."  
  
"Yes?" Jon had a very bad feeling about this.  
  
"Well, they look kind of like those guys in the Matrix - do you know which ones I mean? In suits, and sunglasses, and receding hairlines..." Jon rolled his eyes. Only his sister could use things like that for comparisons. "Do you know which guys I mean?"  
  
"Agents?" said Jon, feeling his stomach tip slightly.  
  
"Yeah - they're bad guys, right?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Well, they look so similar, and the car's been following us all evening, we're just getting really scared..."  
  
"Kathryn, listen, where are you?"  
  
"Outside the club. Oh no, Jon, they're getting out of the car, they're coming towards us-"  
  
"Look, stay calm, all right?" Suddenly her phone clicked. "Kathryn? KATHRYN!" Frantically he redialled her number.  
  
'The phone you have dialled is switched off. Please try again later..." came the recorded message. Right now, it was the least welcome thing he could ever have heard - Kathryn never turned her phone off. What could he do?  
  
One thing came to his mind. He immediately labelled it as ridiculous and shoved it to the back of his head, behind all of the French noun endings he'd had to learn a year ago - but not quickly enough. Once it was there, it was difficult to ignore. He sat there fidgeting for a moment, trying to think of something else, but it was like trying to think of a different film to go and see once you've decided you can't go and see the film you've really wanted to because - well, because the film was now on the crew of the Nebuchadnezzar.  
  
Giving up, he raced over to his cabinet drawer, and fished out a phone. Not just any phone - the phone he had been given on the road outside his house just over a month ago, just after being shoved out of the way of a lorry. He hadn't used it since, and still had the number he'd dialled that morning saved on there - he never thought he'd need it again. Dialling it again quickly, he waited, then shouted, "Morpheus? Is Asha there? I need help!"  
  
*****  
  
Yes, we're back to evil cliffies. And they're not going to get any better for a while - coming soon is the ULTIMATE cliffie. MWAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!! Yes, that was evil enough.  
  
Im a Brandybuck - I'm just as big a fan as I was. I'd heard of Lord of the Rings before it came out, but after the films a massive sign appeared above my head saying THIS IS A LORD OF THE RINGS OBSESSIVE and then I read the books, which are just as cool as the film!  
  
Theshiz - I don't know whether it's going to happen. Haven't decided yet - I haven't decided a lot about the ending yet actually.  
  
Huntress - (pictures Spoon Boy in an ice cream sundae with a cherry on top of his head) Hehehe.  
  
Luna - My Christmas was cool! I got a SWORD!!!  
  
Tanuki Yasha - Whoa, you are smart. Don't talk to me about English though, I just had my mock. Halfway through analysing a novel, I realized that it was really depressing, so I was sitting in the middle of the exam room feeling really bummed out. Great.  
  
KnowInSight - All right, it's not a cliffie compared to all the others in this story. To me cliffie means "OH DEAR MUFFINS WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN NEXT???" That wasn't one of those moments.  
  
Alocin - Hmm. suppose that could happen. maybe not, though. David tricksssy? David falsssse? Never, preciiioussss! OK, he may be being tricksssy (oh damn, I can't say it any other way now) and he may not be. But I'm not going to tell you yet! MWAHAHAHAHA!!! OK, I should stop doing the evil laugh.  
  
MollyJean - Well, you're just going to have to wait and see! Actually, even I'm not sure what she meant. she meant SOMETHING, but which particular SOMETHING I haven't decided yet.  
  
Sirocco.flow - Yes, there is. Bill and Ted's Bogus Journey. 'Tis most excellent, but not as funny as the first. For one thing, how can it be funny if they DIE?  
  
Becca, Claire. and Nancy? - Where do you get all these film characters from? All right, that's it, next week I'm going to capture Legolas to help me with callouts. And Nancy, no killing people. Or no muffins for you. EVER. Actually, that's too cruel. No muffins for, uh, two weeks.  
  
Sci-freak GrodySpork - I'm just trying to get it into everyone's heads that this ISN'T A MARY-SUE. No matter how much it may look like one.  
  
Kit19 - Maybe I need a DURN DURN DURN fairy for the next Matrix parody. And I will get the story to you as soon as possible!  
  
Jack Cole - Because it wasn't an EVIL one! It was just marginally diabolical, but considering donating money to Amnesty International. Angelically devilish. Or devilishly angelic. Like me. And GCSEs are tests you take in England when you're sixteen. Now those are EVIL and should be SMOTE. With PINEAPPLES from the SKY. SEVEN TIMES???? That's over a day of their life spent watching it!  
  
See y'all soon! For more NOT-Mary-Sueness and evil cliffies that you seem to love so much! 


	10. Mission

OK, to save one of my reviewers from certain death by attack chickens - they were sent after me by a reviewer, and he sacrificed himself to save me (altogether now, AWWWW!) - I'm updating slightly early again. Yay! Me likes updating early! Sorry about the evil cliffie, but they're not going to get any better. as you'll see. (starts arming the Wob-Wobs with pineapples for use against attack chickens) And just so you know, The Madness: Reloaded is up and running! I know I said I was going to be putting it all in the same story, but meh. This is a very meh situation. Meh.  
  
Chapter 10 - Mission  
  
As the streets rolled past, Asha thought about all that she'd been told. Her destiny was waiting... what could that mean? Destiny, destiny - what was the second hope supposed to do? What had she been told? Something about the One-  
  
"Come on," said Morpheus. Asha's train of thought was interrupted. They had arrived back at the exit. It was time to get back to the ship. Asha shook her head, hoping that that would empty it slightly - this was all getting very confusing.  
  
Just as they reached the phone, Morpheus' mobile rang. "Yes?" He paused for a second, then handed the phone to Asha, looking slightly confused. "It's for you."  
  
Asha immediately forgave him for his confusion and took the phone. "Hello?"  
  
"Asha?"  
  
"Oh my God, Jon - is that you? What's wrong?"  
  
"It's..." Asha could almost sense his anxiety over the phone. "It's my sister. I think she's in trouble."  
  
"OK," said Asha, thinking how to put her next words, "Well, Jon, no offence, but as much as I like your sister, I don't think helping her is something we can do..."  
  
"No, you don't understand. I think there are agents after her."  
  
"What?" Asha said this really quite loudly and noticed that Morpheus, Neo, Trinity and Falcon were looking at her oddly. She signalled to them to wait and turned away. "But - but - why on earth would agents be after Kathryn?"  
  
"Agents?" said Falcon, but Asha waved her hand at him to be quiet.  
  
"I don't know," said Jon worriedly. She could hear a tapping noise on his end of the phone and knew that he was hitting his ankle against the chair - he always did that when he was stressed. "But she said that she could see some guys who looked like agents across the street from her who'd been watching her all evening, and then her phone went dead..."  
  
"But what if it's nothing? What will the media make of the stars of the latest Matrix films go racing through East Kent, all guns blazing, only to find that your sister was playing a joke on you?"  
  
"I'm not asking you to do that! Just check on the monitors."  
  
"OK, fine. And what do we do if she IS in trouble?"  
  
"... Then we're racing through East Kent all guns blazing and say it's a publicity stunt."  
  
Asha told Jon that she'd ring her back then turned to the others, quickly explaining the situation. "So we just need to phone Tank and ask him to check-"  
  
"I think we should return to the ship first," said Morpheus.  
  
"We don't have TIME!" said Asha, "If she really is in trouble, then it would take time to be downloaded, to check, to be reloaded... it would just be easier to check from here and then go there directly if they really are in trouble."  
  
"Fine," said Morpheus, and phoned Tank. "Tank, we need to locate someone. Look up a girl called Kathryn Thomas on the database. She's seventeen, lives in Canterbury-"  
  
"Got her," said Tank. Asha blinked. That was quick. Neo saw her look. "DSL and Broadband are nothing compared to our downloading speeds," he said.  
  
"Well, run her photo through the Matrix. See if you can track her down - she should be somewhere in Canterbury."  
  
"Wait a minute," said Tank. There was a few moments pause. "Got her. She's - she's in trouble."  
  
Asha had already pulled out her phone to call Jon. "What's happening?" said Morpheus.  
  
"She and another girl and being forced into a car by agents. Why do you care about this girl?"  
  
"She's a friend of Asha's." Tank didn't say anything, but Morpheus could sense his slight confusion. "And if the agents have a reason to be after them, that gives us a reason to help them. Get us there."  
  
"Right," said Tank. Asha was explaining to Jon what was happening.  
  
"I knew it," he said fretfully, "Why on EARTH are they after her?"  
  
"I don't know," said Asha, trying to sound reassuring, "Maybe they've seen something, maybe it's-" Asha suddenly thought of something, but she tried to ignore it. Suddenly the phone started to ring. "Anyway, we'll be in Canterbury in a couple of minutes."  
  
"Where should I meet you?"  
  
"Oh no," said Asha, as Trinity picked up the phone and vanished. "Not this time. You can't come."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Because this is dangerous."  
  
"So was last time."  
  
"Yes, but I don't want to risk it again. If I'd known, I wouldn't have let you come and save me as well."  
  
"If I hadn't come, Trinity could have died." Asha glanced at Falcon also vanishing, trying to think of how to convince him not to come, when she realized that he'd hung up. Putting her phone back in her pocket, she stepped forward and lifted the ringing phone, hoping against hope this all went all right.  
  
*****  
  
A few minutes later, the crew were walking quickly along the Canterbury city walls, making their way towards the spot where Tank had seen the girls last. As they got nearer to the street, Asha looked ahead and her heart sank. "Jon!" she said, half angrily and half worriedly, "I told you not to come!"  
  
"Asha, this is my sister we're talking about," said Jon, "Could you really expect me to stay at home?"  
  
"But how did you even know where we were?"  
  
"I knew that there was a phone box near the nightclub that no-one ever uses, so I guessed that was your most likely entrance."  
  
"We should leave now," said Neo suddenly, looking up and down the street.  
  
"But we haven't found them yet!" said Asha.  
  
"Yes, but I don't it's right for us all to be here. It's not safe."  
  
"What's wrong?" said Trinity. Neo didn't say anything, but looked at Morpheus, who nodded. "I think Neo's right. He can manage agents perfectly well on his own."  
  
Asha turned round to Jon to say something, but she never got a chance. What happened next happened so quickly that Asha had hardly recognised that it was happening before it was over.  
  
There was a gunshot. Jon's eyes went wide with shock. He looked at Asha, as if in disbelief, and fell over. Asha saw blood starting to spread on his back. She couldn't believe it. Without realising what was happening, she threw herself forward and knelt next to him, holding his hand.  
  
"Jon, what's happened?" Stupid question, really. Jon looked at Asha, managed a small smile, then closed his eyes. Asha couldn't believe it; she didn't want to believe it.  
  
"No, Jon, no. You can't. Jon. Jon!" She closed her eyes, feeling as though she couldn't breathe. Why? Why was this happening?  
  
She felt a hand on her shoulder. "Come on, Asha," Neo was saying, "There's nothing you can do. We have to get out of here, we don't know who fired that, they could have been aiming for any of us-"  
  
"Let me go," said Asha. She opened her eyes. The hollowness inside her had been replaced with anger. Who had done this? She opened her eyes again, and threw thoughts out in all directions. There - someone running away. Without thinking, Asha leapt to her feet and started pelting after them. She heard Morpheus, Neo, Trinity and Falcon calling out after her, voices of alarm and confusion, but she blocked them out. She was going to keep focussed on finding whoever had done this to her friend until they had suffered, the same suffering that she was going through.  
  
She raced down the alley. With a mild shock, she realised that this was her dream - racing through an alleyway, with her quarry just in front of her. Before, this would have shocked her. But now, she only registered it with a mild interest - she was sure that she would think about it more later, but right now it wasn't important.  
  
She could see the person ahead of her. She couldn't see much, as she could only see them for a split second each time. She sent thoughts ahead of her, to try and see if she recognised them. But she found some sort of resistance that she hadn't felt before, except when she was around agents, or the Oracle. Yet it was different this time.  
  
Suddenly she heard the voice in her mind again. She recognized it now as David's voice. It was warning her about something, about a danger. She ignored it. She didn't care about that.  
  
She approached another corner. She could feel that her quarry had stopped, and was waiting for her. She didn't care. She threw herself round the corner-  
  
And found herself waiting for her.  
  
*****  
  
When trying to think of a name for this chapter, all I could think of was 'Oh dearie me'. Now I'm sure you can see why. Sorry about the evil cliffie! (hears attack chickens hurling themselves against the door) EEK! But that's still not the ULTIMATE cliffie, that's still to come. (cackles evilly, but then stops when the attack chickens start banging on the window) EEEK!! (runs)  
  
DarkGoddessLuna - It IS cool! It freaks my sister out though, she keeps thinking I'm going to 'get' her. Why would I use my sword for that? A frying pan would do just as much damage.  
  
Tanuki Yasha - I can't draw either, and I'm supposed to be doing Art for GCSE. WHY did no-one tell me that I suck at Art before I signed up for it?? Hee hee, I put a lot of effort into making the Oracle cryptic. Just to BUG everyone.  
  
Im a Brandybuck - Yeah, can't imagine where it came from.  
  
T'Lorie - (watches T'Lorie dying on the floor) Call that pitiful? I've seen pitifuller. Wait, is pitifuller a word?. Meh.  
  
Artemis - Yeah, I'm sure they are. (cackles at evilness)  
  
KnowInSight - Who knows?. Wait, I do.  
  
Alocin - (watches alocin fall) Whoops. Is that my fault?  
  
Kit19 - Well, cos it seemed like a really annoying cliffhanger. Why else?  
  
Theshiz - Uh, no, not that evil. But still pretty evil.  
  
Jack Cole - I buy both versions! DO NOT MOCKETH ME, THOU!! Sorry, that's my new phrase. As you may guess, we make a big deal about Shakespeare over here too. England's all smug about how "Oooh, we produced Shakespeare, what have America got to say to THAT?" Except now it's more Harry Potter, not Shakespeare. And for smiting, I recommend rolled-up magazines or pineapples.  
  
Huntress - Yeah. I'm hungry now.  
  
Sirocco.flow - Oh, we're all confuzzled. The Oracle DOES know the choice Asha will have to make, but can't tell her, in case it means that she doesn't make it.it's all very confuzzling still.  
  
MollyJean - He's fine. He lives, he plays, he learns, he's starting turning the Wob-Wobs into him.  
  
Sci-freak GrodySpork - Yes, that bit's funny, but not as good as the first one. The first one was best. I heard rumours somewhere that they were thinking about doing a third one.  
  
Geekgurl - Yup. Have fun.  
  
Becca, Claire and whichever hapless person is babysitting them now - Yes, I guessed that. I haven't seen 'Daredevil' or 'Underworld' though, so I don't really know what you're talking about. never mind. 


	11. Calypso and Choice

Heeeyyyy people! How goes things? I'm in a good mood, despite being stuck on a bus in a blizzard for over two hours a couple of nights ago, which just goes to show watching LOTR cures anything. This chapter's a little shorter than the others, but that's because the next one is a bit longer - also, at the end of this is the ULTIMATE CLIFFIE!!! that I've warned you about. So I hope you enjoy it, and I have to go flee attack chickens now, who have redoubled their assault since they learnt I was doing this. bye. *flees*  
  
Chapter 11 - Calypso and Choice  
  
If anything had truly made her stop and think what was going on, it was that. Of all the things she'd thought could have happened, this wasn't it. But it had. In front of her was Asha, herself. The same brown eyes, the same brown wavy hair, the same nifty leather ensemble. There was one difference. Asha's face was flushed, with anger and from running faster than she had before, and her eyes showed grief for her friend but were burning with anger. The other girl's face was calm, but she was smiling maliciously, and there was a glint in her eyes.  
  
"Hello Asha," she said, perfectly cheerfully. Asha continued to stare, disbelieving. What was happening here? The girl seemed to enjoy Asha's confusion. "I believe you've met my mentor?"  
  
Asha looked over her shoulder. If possible, her heart sank even lower. Agent Smith stepped forward from behind the girl, also smiling. Seeing him reminded Asha of what he had tried to do to her last time they'd met, and subconsciously she crossed her arms over her chest.  
  
"Once or twice," said Agent Smith, his smile matching the girl's. Asha shivered. "But, Miss Warner, you haven't met this young lady."  
  
"Um, no, I haven't," said Asha, still looking at the girl. They were identical to the last detail. "But I can guess - a sentient program?"  
  
"She's good," said the girl, smiling at Agent Smith, who rested a hand on her shoulder. Asha stared. This wasn't right. What was going on? "Created for one thing."  
  
Asha was amazed that she could still use her voice after everything that had happened that afternoon. "And, um, that would be?"  
  
The girl's smile grew. "For the destruction of the Nebuchadnezzar, of course." Her eyes flashed with malice. "Starting with you."  
  
Asha's mind snapped from grief for her friend and anger. When she heard that her crew was in danger, her mind focused. She had a mission. Time to feel sorry later. She had to do something. Not yet, though - may as well try and alleviate confusion as much as possible.  
  
"But I'm being rude," said the girl, holding out a hand, "My name is Calypso."  
  
Asha didn't take it. "Why do you-"  
  
"Oh, that's just for dramatics," said Calypso, "I can look like this..."  
  
Before Asha's eyes, the girl began to change shape. The brown, wavy hair lengthened, straightened and turned a sort of mousy colour. She started to grow taller, Asha noticed with a slight feeling of jealousy - she hated being small. This all happened in a split second. Now there was an older girl standing in front of her, mousy hair and blue eyes. Kathryn.  
  
Asha blinked. Calypso grinned at Asha's obvious bewilderment.  
  
"Clever trick, isn't it?" she said, "One of the things I thought of. Fooled Jon, anyway, and made you come to England - didn't you know that appearances can be deceiving?"  
  
"How can you talk to me like this?" said Asha suddenly, "If you remember, you just said that you're planning to kill me, and you've already killed my best friend-"  
  
"Killed?" said Calypso, "I don't think so."  
  
"You did," said Asha.  
  
"Well, you see, he's not dead," said Calypso. Asha felt her heart miss a beat. Of course - why didn't she check his pulse? "Not yet, anyway."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"See this?" said Calypso, holding up what looked a bullet. "I wrote the program myself. It doesn't kill straight away. It remains inside, and for all the world looks like an ordinary bullet - no injuries except unconsciousness, for fifteen minutes, and then-" She again smiled when she saw the horror on Asha's face. "Unless..."  
  
This was it, thought Asha, here comes the punchline. The kick when I'm down. The reason they lured me here. Calypso was drawing it out, obviously enjoying this.  
  
"Unless what?" said Asha, unable to bear it any longer.  
  
"Unless," said Calypso, saying it slowly, as if nothing gave her greater pleasure than tormenting Asha, "You administer this." She held up a small vial, filled with a clear liquid. "This counteracts the program. Smart, no?"  
  
Agent Smith stepped forward. "This is what I've been working on," he said, "I've been training this girl. She is perfect for destroying your crew. She knows your weaknesses, and can exploit them. In fact, you helped slightly in that." He smiled at the look of horror on Asha's face. "When I attempted to turn into myself? As I neared completion - so close I came - I gained access to your thoughts. Yes, Asha, I now know everything there is to know about you - even some things that you have forgotten."  
  
Asha was frozen. He must know something that she'd forgotten, otherwise he wouldn't be smiling so widely as he remembered. "She came up with this plan by herself," he added, "Not surprising, considering that she has a machine's intelligence."  
  
Asha felt numb. Her eyes were fixed on the vial. Jon's life was ebbing away as they stood here chitchatting. How could she get it? She daren't fight them - she would never win, and there was a danger that the vial would be smashed, and any chance Jon had would be lost. There was a reason they were showing this to her.  
  
"Time for me to go," said the girl, resuming Asha's shape. "I have business elsewhere." She handed the vial to Agent Smith, shot Asha a sunny smile, and walked down the alley the way Asha had come. Asha watched her go, then turned back to Agent Smith, whose smile had not left his face. It looked so strange - like it didn't belong there.  
  
"So, I doubt you're just going to give it to me?" said Asha.  
  
"Of course not," said Agent Smith, "You are here, because we are going to make you an offer."  
  
"An... an offer?"  
  
"As we speak, Calypso is making her way back to your friends. Neo, Morpheus, Trinity, and the latest - Falcon. I know that you are especially close to him," he added, watching the look of fear in her eyes, "She is going to destroy them.  
  
"I know what you are thinking. Neo will defeat her, no problem. But don't forget who she looks like. Will it be so easy for him to kill you? You, who he tries so faithfully to protect?"  
  
Asha realised with a jolt what he said was true. Neo would be worried, and wouldn't kill her readily. Calypso would use that to her advantage. Suddenly she realised. Neo had foreseen this. That was why he had been afraid of her. He had seen her fighting them. That was why he had tried to hurry her away, as well - why hadn't she gone with him? None of this would have happened...  
  
"And he won't even be able to tell that she's a program," said Agent Smith, "There's a blocker which would make her seem, in Neo's eyes, to be you. He won't suspect a thing."  
  
"You're a monster," she whispered, anger again filling her mind, "You're heartless, you're evil - why trap me here? Worried I would defeat Calypso if I was there?"  
  
"Trap you?" said Agent Smith, "I believe you misunderstand me, Miss Warner. You are free to go and save your friends." He paused, watching Asha's reaction to these words, which was mingled surprise and confusion. "But you may remember that the vial to save your friend Jon is here. You leave, and it will no longer be accessible..."  
  
Asha suddenly saw his plan. It was evil, it was truly evil.  
  
"If you stay here, and let Calypso destroy your friends, I will let you use this vial, and even allow you to be reinserted into the Matrix, everything forgotten. A new life. No more fighting, no more work, just a normal teenage life. No more fear, no more - confusion.  
  
"It seems that you are going to have to make a choice. Where do you belong - The Real World? Or the Matrix?"  
  
*****  
  
So there it is, the ultimate cliffie - please don't send out too many evil creatures, the attack chickens are enough to be dealing with right now!  
  
Two Bored Idiots - You've been sending them?? I think they've escaped your control. The other day, they captured me, but I managed to escape - but before I did, I learnt that they are planning world domination after they've, uh, 'dealt' with me, as they put it.  
  
Theshiz - It was only this morning that I realized just why you were seeing Asha as Indiana Jones - to my horror, I realized this whole thing is just like that scene in 'The Last Crusade'! EEEK! It's not intentional, I'd completely forgotten about that!  
  
Tanuki Yasha - Ooh, I've seen 'Big Fish', it's great. Too heroic? Is he really? Oops, didn't mean to make him too heroic. I think the reason he went is that he didn't fully understand the danger of it. Silly boy. While we're on the 'is killing your clone suicide?' question, if a man with multiple personality disorder threatens to kill himself, is a hostage situation?  
  
MollyJean - He's not dead yet! Yes, he's fine, he hasn't joined the attack chickens. he's actually been quite helpful regarding them, helping me organize the Wob-Wobs into armies and sorting out the pineapples and everything.  
  
Im a Brandybuck - Glad you're used to the cliffies, I know I'm going slightly overboard with them. But they're so fun! (wiggles toes with glee)  
  
DarkGoddessLuna - There's going to be more details about 'Problems in the Matrix' in the next chapter of the Madness Reloaded - keep an eye out for that. Hee hee, I love my sword. I told my art teacher about it, and he's bringing in swords for me to play with tomorrow! COOL!!!  
  
Sirocco.flow - Makes sense? Really? Well, I'm glad it makes sense to someone, at least.  
  
Alocin - (watches her fall) Oops. (runs with a trampoline to catch her at the bottom)  
  
Huntress - What, your dreams come true? Freeeaky. Closest to future- predicting I come is occasionally foreseeing what Simpsons episode it's going to be next. Useful, I'm sure.  
  
Kit19 - No, as you saw, he didn't make a copy, but now I'm, uh, wishing I'd thought of that. But I did take an element of that idea - hope you didn't mind too much, it just seemed to make the story make more sense. If you do mind, just tell me, and I'll change it. And sorry about the cliffies. And Jon isn't dead yet! Japanese? Whoa.  
  
Trinity144 - Ah, vanilla coke. I have experienced such matters. Sorry I don't update sooner, but I have all these callouts to write, and I think it's better to space the chapters out.  
  
Ieva - Yes, evil cliffies ARE fun! Yay, I've finally found someone who agrees with me!  
  
Trineo4life - I will, as soon as I can, but I have other stories to do as well.  
  
Jack Cole - Firefly? What's that? And we also came up with 'The Office', which I haven't actually ever watched, but from what I've seen of clips it looks really funny. Ha, we won two Golden Globes with it! It's nice you think so highly of our little country. HUZZAH FOR BRITANNIA!!  
  
Sci-freak GrodySpork - Yes, that's what I heard. I'm not telling you what's going to happen, but I do know that I had great fun writing it, and I think it's going to be good!  
  
Deity of Sorrow - Evil? Yay, I'm evil! At last, someone doesn't think that I'm the sweet and innocent one in the group! MWAHAHAHA!!!  
  
Becca, Claire and a whole lotta other people - Um, no, I haven't. *cowers* I can't rent them, I'm too busy renting other stuff! I'll see them at some point. I do still have vampires in my wardrobe, but I think they've joined the chickens - I think they're trying to get me.  
  
Speaking of attack chickens and vampires, what's that noise outside? (goes to look out back window) Oh heck. May not be updating for a while, the chickens are breaking in. (runs as fast as she can, and behind we here the back door crash open and ominous clucking coming closer.) 


	12. Decision

(runs in terror from various creatures sent because of the ULTIMATE CLIFFIE) Eek! OK, OK, no more evil cliffies! For a while, anyway... maybe a couple of chapters... Sorry I've taken so long to update, various reasons for this. Anyway, enjoy!  
  
Chapter 12 - Decision  
  
Neo looked up and down the street. They were in danger, but they couldn't leave without Asha. Or could they? He remembered his dream. Where Asha had come, and started to fight them. Why would she? She'd already proven that she'd never join the agents. What could convince her?  
  
This was definitely the street in the dream. He'd recognised it as soon as they got there. Everything was the same. That was why he'd been so eager to get away from there. But now this had happened.  
  
Footsteps behind them made Neo turn round. Asha was walking towards them, still looking upset. Well, that was to be expected. Her best friend had been shot. He wasn't dead – Trinity had checked his pulse just after Asha had run away. His pulse was faint, but still there, yet getting weaker. She'd tried to call after her, but she'd already gone.  
  
Trinity ran to meet Asha. Neo, again, felt a jolt of dread. But what was there to worry about? It was only Asha, it had only been a dream-  
  
Asha grabbed onto Trinity's arm and twisted it behind her back. Neo immediately pulled out a gun, but Asha was holding Trinity in front of her.  
  
"Go on, Neo," she said, "Shoot your girlfriend, and you get a clear shot at me."  
  
"Asha?" said Morpheus. He had had no prophetic dreams, and had no idea what was going on. "What are you doing?"  
  
"What does it look like?" said Asha, "Am I really that subtle?"  
  
Morpheus stared in disbelief. Trinity was trying to fight Asha off, but she was strong. Too strong.  
  
"Morpheus," said Neo, guns still trained on Asha, "Something's wrong."  
  
"That, Neo, is obvious."  
  
"No. I don't think this is Asha. Even she's not this heartless-"  
  
"You know, Neo," called Asha, a smile spreading across her face, "The base of the skull is very weak. If you hit someone hard enough right here..." She pointed to Trinity's head, the place where it joined the spine, "...It kills them straight away. Isn't that interesting? One little knock, and Trinity goes bye-bye."  
  
"Let her go," said Neo.  
  
"What are you doing?" said Morpheus to Asha.  
  
"You don't catch on fast, do you, Morpheus?" said Asha, twisting Trinity's arm up another few inches. Trinity cried out unintentionally. The noise echoed around Neo's head. He had to do something, he had to. "This is the end. For all of you. I phone Tank, I go back to the Nebuchadnezzar, no more Tank either. I phone for help, oh it's such a TRAGEDY, my entire crew dead – except me. I get into Zion. Can you just imagine it, Neo? The One dead, the Second Hope betraying, any hope the humans have flies away. Revolution crushed by one little girl. Isn't that nice?"  
  
"Neo," said Morpheus, "Shoot her."  
  
"I can't," said Neo, looking at Trinity. Trinity looked back, keeping her face free from emotion. She knew what Neo had to do, and couldn't let him let his love for her get in the way.  
  
"Neo, run," she said, "Get out of here, you have to get out of the Matrix, it's the only way you have a chance-"  
  
"I can't."  
  
"Neo, she'll kill us all anyway-"  
  
"Sorry to interrupt," said Asha. She quickly glanced at Morpheus, and whipped the cellphone out of his hand. "Naughty, naughty, don't go getting any ideas. So, Neo, where are on the whole sacrificing-girlfriend-to-try- and-save-the-world dilemma?"  
  
"Neo, you have to," said Morpheus.  
  
"It's Asha," said Neo, "She would stop the bullets anyway."  
  
"But you could at least try-"  
  
Neo looked at Trinity. There was no way he could kill her, knowing that it couldn't do any good anyway. Asha was getting bored.  
  
"Come on, people, I know that this is a TERRIBLE emotional dilemma, but this is getting tedious," she said, "Look, Neo, I'll decide for you, OK?"  
  
The guns shot out of Neo's hands. Asha hit Trinity round the head, and she fell over, a gash on the side of her head starting to bleed.  
  
Please, thought Neo, please, don't let her be-  
  
He couldn't think for long, though. Asha jumped at him, and it was all he could do to stop the blows raining down on him. Asha had the advantage. Normally Neo would be able to beat her, but he was distracted. Morpheus tried to fight as well, but Asha fought him easily, parrying all his blows, finally kicking him and sending him flying several metres down the street. Falcon leapt to his feet, his face set, as though he had no hope for himself but wanted to do his part. But he was dispatched by a chop to the side of the head, and unconscious was immediate. Neo was on his own.  
  
As he continued to block the rapid, endless blows from Asha, Neo glanced at Trinity. She stirred, but didn't open her eyes. That gave him hope; she was still alive. But if Asha – if it was really her – defeated him, what hope did she have?  
  
"Trinity!" he called, "You have to get out of here!"  
  
Trinity still didn't open her eyes. "Heroics," said Asha, "Not out of place, but unfortunately, completely useless." Unexpectedly, she kicked him round the head. He fell over, made to get up, but found Asha standing over him, gun pointing at his head. He tried to get up, but a force was holding him down, and he couldn't move.  
  
"I think the Powerpuff girls could beat you hands down," she said.  
  
* * * * *  
  
"Well?" said Agent Smith. Asha didn't answer. She couldn't think. "Of course, I can guess what it's going to be. Humans can always be counted on to make the wrong decision for the world. Though saving Neo may seem to be the best thing for mankind, it may not be."  
  
"Shh," said Asha. She couldn't think of anything else to say - her mind was filled with confusion.  
  
"Ah - deciding to be heroine, are we?" said Agent Smith, "Then you won't need this, will you?" He opened his hand and let the vial fall.  
  
"NO!" screamed Asha. Agent Smith caught it again with the same hand that he'd dropped it, looking at Asha sardonically. "I - I haven't decided yet."  
  
"Not so easy to kill your best friend to 'save mankind', is it dear?" said Agent Smith. Asha's heart skipped a beat. She'd never thought of it like that. She would, she'd be killing her best friend.  
  
Asha knew she only had seconds to make her mind up, but this was the hardest decision she had ever had to make – way harder than whether to do Art or Drama for GCSE. What had she done then? She'd asked Jon what he thought – well, that wasn't really an option right now.  
  
Jon. She couldn't let him go. They'd been best friends for years, they knew each other better than they knew them themselves. But then there was her crew. What hope did the rebels have without the One? And Trinity and Morpheus – they'd helped her so much, from even before she knew about the Matrix, when they saved her from the agents. And Falcon – he was her friend now. She couldn't let him down either.  
  
But then, she would feel sad – but only for a little while. If she really did forget everything, her grief would be forgotten as well. She could live like a normal teenager. That was what she wanted – wasn't it?  
  
"The clock is ticking, Miss Warner," said Agent Smith, "What are you going to do?"  
  
Asha didn't reply. She didn't want to give him the satisfaction. Her mind was in turmoil. She shoved her hands into her pockets. Suddenly she felt something in them. She took it out, but she could tell what it was before she saw it.  
  
It was a spoon.  
  
* * * * *  
  
Asha grinned. "You know you're going to die, don't you, Neo?" she said, "I can see it in your eyes."  
  
Neo kept his face passive. He wasn't going to give her the satisfaction of seeing his fear. Not for himself, but for those he cared about, especially Trinity. He wished that even if he didn't get out of this, she would escape somehow.  
  
"Bye bye, Neo," she said. Neo stared unblinkingly at her, willing Trinity to move. Asha's finger taughtened. Neo braced himself for the bullet. He had died once before, and that hadn't been a barrel of laughs either-  
  
The bullet never came. Asha looked at her hand, which was now empty of a gun. She immediately looked behind her, eyes widening slightly. Neo looked as well.  
  
Asha had just appeared there, face set. Neo glanced from Asha to Asha, more than slightly confused. But when Neo looked closer, he could see that she had tears in her eyes as she stood there, and she looked pale. Suddenly he understood.  
  
"Come on, Calypso," she said, "Spread the fun around."  
  
Asha – or Calypso, Neo now knew – composed herself. "So, Miss Warner, you choose the honourable thing to do, as many of your movie-going generation believe they would. I personally expected you to do the smart thing. You appeared intelligent enough..."  
  
"Appearances can be deceiving," said Asha. She leapt forward so suddenly that even Neo wasn't expecting it. Calypso, however, evidently had been, and blocked her blows.  
  
The punches and kicks rained down as fast as lightning. It was an even match – they were identical, identical in speed, and precision, and technique. Calypso was, in essence, another Asha. Soon Neo could barely tell them apart – the only way to distinguish them was to look at their faces. Calypso's face was one of concentration, while Asha's was passive, as though she was just accepting everything that came, but her eyes told the real story, as they always did. Neo could see that they were filled with anger and pain.  
  
As soon as Neo took in what had happened, he jumped to his feet, grabbing the gun off the ground, and firing it quickly at Calypso. She leapt into the air to avoid the bullet and landed on a nearby windowsill, catlike. Neo swiftly threw a gun to Asha as well, but neither of them fired straight away.  
  
Calypso laughed. "I see why Agent Smith was so keen to annihilate you," she said, crouched on the sill, looking down at them. "You're just a nuisance. Not threatening – rather like a fly. No immediate threat, but irritating enough to warrant feelings of ill-will."  
  
"This is only the beginning," said Asha, keeping her gun steady.  
  
"Yes, well, I have better things to do with my time," said Calypso, "But I can almost guarantee that one day I'll see you again. In fact – I'm already looking forward to it." Calypso suddenly sprang from the sill and shot into the air. Asha made no effort to stop her.  
  
Neo dropped the gun and ran to Trinity's side. Morpheus got up and came over, and helped her sit up, ripping off part of his shirt to use as a bandage. Neo looked up. Asha was kneeling next to Jon, her head bent, holding his hand, one silent tear sliding down her face.  
  
"Asha, he might be OK-" said Neo, but Asha held out a hand.  
  
"He won't be," she said, "Not now." She felt his pulse once more. It fluttered once more, then faded completely. Asha felt a scream building up inside, threatening to burst out, but she kept it in, knowing that if she started she would never stop. It hurt so much that she couldn't bear it. Neo came over and rested a hand on her shoulder. She sank down onto the ground and hugged her knees, burying her head in them. Jon was dead. Calypso had shot him. But Calypso hadn't killed him. She had. She'd chosen to let him die. Had she done the right thing?  
  
She continued to sit next to him, clutching his hand, eyes closed but no more tears coming. She heard Trinity, Neo and Morpheus talking about needing to get back, but neither of them made any move to make her get up. Finally, Falcon came over and sat next to her, putting his arm around her shoulder. Gently he detached her hand from Jon's, helped her to her feet and led her to the nearest phone box.  
  
***  
  
Can it be? YES, THERE WAS NO EVIL CLIFFIE! Celebrate!  
  
Two Bored Idiots – Ooh, goodie, nice to have an 'Australian Branch of Hyperosity, Randomness and the darn well Weird' there. Tell them to play 'Always look on the Bright Side of Life'. Fruit loops, eh? Right... (runs to nearby shops)  
  
Im a Brandybuck – Yay, I'm even confusing people who don't read the story! My work is done!  
  
Theshiz – They may, but not for a while yet... Ha! She DIDN'T save them all! Take THAT, Indy! Yes, I saw Gim-boy in it, he looks really tall.... it's so weird...  
  
Trinity144 – Yes, I know that from my friend. Last time she came round my mum bought a big bottle of vanilla coke just for her, and I screamed at her, "NOO! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE????" But it was too late...  
  
MollyJean – Yes, thank you, thank you very much... Queen of Evil Cliffies! I should add that to list of titles... and to my university application, when I write it... Maybe not...  
  
Huntress – It drives us all crazy. Damn A-Levels... How are you expected to only choose FOUR? Ooh, perfect cliffie? Wow... nah, it would be perfect if you had no idea what was going to happen next, like at the end of Reloaded... Even then I was slightly psychic and had guessed that you could go into the Matrix without being plugged in...  
  
Eman on tog I – No, you're not annoying! I do that, though – if given option A and option B, I take Option C... And you're name is contradictory, because now you DO have a name, so it should be Od I ti desrever I taht won tub enam a evah ot esu t'ndid I.  
  
Kit19 – MORE attack chickens? (spots them coming) EEEEK! (flees)  
  
Beloved Fool – I have vampires on my wardrobe... Snap!  
  
Deity of Sorrow – Sorry about the evil cliffie, but I needed ONE major choice for the title of the story to refer to...  
  
Sirocco.flow – Well, I got stranded halfway up a hill on a bus with five other people, and we all attempted to push it UP the hill, one of us nearly got squashed, and finally after over two hours I walked about a mile down the hill in the snow to my friend's house...  
  
Alocin – Mmm... attack chicken nuggets... Haha, Smithy Smithy Smithy! He's so cool! Except he actually scared me in Revolutions... anyway, that is not the last of Smith in this story!  
  
Becca, Claire and a whole lotta other people – Speaking of awards ceremonies, GO LORD OF THE RINGS!! 11 NOMINATIONS!! But none for acting, preciousss, that bugses usss.... 'But what about the cast? I want to hear more about them. The movie wouldn't have got far without the cast...' 'Mystic River? What madness drove them there? You'll find more cheer in a graveyard!'  
  
T'Lorie – Oh, I want to write an interrogation scene, believe me. But I can't find a good time for one just yet. I'm planning on writing a prequel – about how David became who he was, how he joined the agents and everything. There may be an interrogation scene in that!  
  
Jack Cole – Spooks, yes, I've seen that. One of the characters has been my main inspiration for David, actually – one time on it there was this weird teenager who was hacking into the government files. And he was cool. Good luck on the breeding thing! I need all the help I can get, Tescos refuses to give me free fruit loops... 


	13. Reflection

OK, I have several apologies to make about this chapter... A) I'm sorry that I haven't updated for aaages, but I've been really busy. B) I'm sorry that it's so short, but there's a cliffie at the end which I couldn't pass up. C) The cliffies are returned. So so sorry. D) Because I'm so busy right now, I don't have time to write callouts – again, I'm really really sorry, but please keep reviewing! Enjoy!  
  
Chapter 13 - Reflection  
  
Asha lay on her bed, staring at her ceiling, as she had so many times in the past. She wasn't crying any more. Instead, her head felt empty, and she was hardly thinking. She was just staring straight ahead, not really seeing anything. She couldn't quite believe that Jon was gone, and she could have saved him, and escaped all this grief. She could have had a normal life, and not had to fight all the time. Now she never could.  
  
There was a knock on the door. "Asha?" called Morpheus, "Do you want something to eat?"  
  
"No," Asha found herself replying, "I'm fine." The footsteps went away again. Asha rolled onto her side, grabbing her pillow and hugging it. She knew that she'd done the right thing, the honourable thing, the thing she was supposed to do. The thing it had been prophesied she'd do. She'd worked that out. She'd fulfilled the prophecy – now what was she supposed to do?  
  
That night, she had another dream. But this wasn't a premonition – it was a memory. When she and Jon had snuck into the Matrix when it first came out. They'd only been eleven, but when they first saw an advert they'd felt that they had to go and see it. Of course, since they were underage, it had taken some ingenuity – they'd bought tickets for U film showing in the screen next to it, then snuck in when the lights were down. Immediately, Asha had been hooked.  
  
"The agents reminded me of Team Rocket," said Jon as they left the cinema. He'd been going through a Pokemon phase. "And Neo was like Ash, and Trinity like Misty, and Morpheus like Brock-"  
  
"It was so cool," said Asha, "I wish I could be on the Nebock – the ship thing they were on," she finished somewhat lamely. But after one more showing, Asha would be the first person in her year to successfully say and pronounce it, and after another one say its reference in the Bible, and also explain what the number beneath it meant.  
  
"Oh," said Jon, "I don't know if I would, I mean, it looks kinda scary."  
  
"So?" said Asha, "Don't worry, Jon, I'd protect you."  
  
"You won't always be able to protect me," said Jon. Asha blinked, as this had seemed amazingly profound from an eleven-year-old.  
  
Suddenly Asha woke up. She had tears in her eyes herself, but hardly noticed them. She hadn't been able to protect him, not that time. But he was right, she couldn't do everything. She wouldn't have been able to save both Jon and Neo, Morpheus, Trinity and Falcon. And she knew which was most important for mankind. Jon would have told her to save them.  
  
She hugged her pillow yet tighter. She didn't know why, but by seeing this, her pain seemed to have eased slightly. She got to her feet and walked through the door. She headed down to the dining room, where she guessed everyone would be. As she entered, they all looked up.  
  
"You saved me some goop, right?" she asked.  
  
* * * * *  
  
That night, Asha and Falcon took the night shift, as they always did, but it was quieter than normal. Falcon didn't seem to want to instigate the conversation, and Asha was content in sitting in silence for now. As she looked at the code, she pressed a few keys, and zoomed in on Jon's house. Police were parked outside, and Asha could see Jon's parents in the living room, talking to the police.  
  
"Hey," she said suddenly, making Falcon jump, "You don't think I could access tomorrow's newspaper articles from here, do you? Just to see whether they say anything about it."  
  
"You could probably access next week's," said Falcon. Asha smiled slightly, the first time she had since that afternoon. She pressed a couple more keys. She thought that she'd have to read the local paper's, but to her surprise, it came up in the National papers as well.  
  
"What the-" she muttered, and pressed a key to bring up the article. The headline 'Kentish Schoolboy found dead' came up, with a subtitle proclaiming 'Murder related to the disappearance of Asha Warner'.  
  
"Weird," said Asha. At the top of the article was a photo of Jon. It wasn't a school photo, but one taken when she and him had gone to the park with his new micro scooter. He was riding on it at full speed straight towards the camera – and the unfortunate person holding the camera had been her. It had been a great photo, but it came at a price, in that he hadn't been able to stop and had crashed right into her. Trying to blink back the tears brought on by remembering it, she scrolled down and began to read.  
  
'Kentish schoolboy, Jon Thomas, 15 years old, was found shot dead in Canterbury yesterday evening.  
  
'Jon had been seen leaving his house that morning, and his parents say that he hadn't mentioned where he was going.  
  
'"It's a mystery what happened," said Kentish police in a press conference yesterday evening, "Canterbury has very little gun crime, and there's no apparent motive. He was, however, a very good friend of Asha Warner, the girl who went missing from the same area just over a month ago. There is some evidence that both these cases are related, but as yet we have no suspects."'  
  
Asha shut down the article. She didn't want to read anymore. Falcon continued to sit silently. They seemed to be communicating without words, so when Asha began to talk, it was as though they were already mid- conversation.  
  
"I always felt separate from everyone else," she said, "Felt slightly distant from them. I wasn't the same as people at school, they all talked about clothes and bands and boys and parties they'd been to. I wasn't like that. I was separate from them. I never understood why I felt it, and ignored it."  
  
"But Jon... he was like my link to everyone else. My bridge over the gap. I felt normal when he was with him. But when I felt the spoon in my pocket, I knew that I had to save you and Neo. Spoon Boy said that I would need it one day." She smiled. "He was right."  
  
"He was," said Falcon.  
  
"Agent Smith wasn't happy," said Asha lightly, but her eyes started to fill again, "He knew straight away what my decision was. He pulled out a gun, but I was gone. I ran faster than I thought I could. I think he chased me, but as soon as I was out of his sight, I went back to the Real World, then went back into the Matrix again a split second later."  
  
A tear crept out of the corner of her eye. "I miss Jon so much," she said, her voice breaking, "When I was with him, I felt more like everyone else. I felt that I could be myself."  
  
"And who was yourself?" asked Falcon. Asha rubbed her eyes and stared at the code of the Matrix, making no attempt to see through it.  
  
"I was the girl who would go to parties, but halfway through go and look at the stars outside. Not because I was bored, but because I felt less alone when I was looking at them. Which, when I think about it, makes no sense." Falcon didn't say anything. "I was the girl who, when she went to see a castle, felt an immediate link with whoever had been in that castle before, even if I didn't know who it was. I thought I was important, meant for something. I had no idea why I felt like that, I just did."  
  
Falcon nodded along, looking thoughtful.  
  
"You don't have any idea what I'm talking about, do you?"  
  
"I have a basic idea," he said, "But if someone says they understand you completely, you haven't told them everything about you. We're very complex beings."  
  
"And the Matrix wants to turn us into power sources," said Asha, remembering Morpheus' speech. Combined with a form of fusion, the machines had found all the energy they would ever need... Something stirred in her mind. Something was happening in the Matrix, something that would affect David as well, the plans had been brought forward, needed help to stop it... She gasped, clapping her hand to her mouth.  
  
"What is it?" said Falcon urgently.  
  
"I think..." she said, "Wake everyone up. Now. It's important!" Falcon looked at her worriedly, then obligingly sprinted off towards the bedrooms. Asha sat there, looking at the code of the Matrix, hand still over her mouth. If she was right, it wasn't over yet...  
  
---  
  
Changed my mind – going to write a couple of callouts really quickly. Not for everyone though, sorry! I just don't have time! Most people commented on Jon's death – so I'll say to everyone, I'm sorry, but it had to happen! (flees attack chickens) And as you can see, she DIDN'T hit Agent Smith with the spoon – come on, give me a little more credit!  
  
MollyJean – Well, there was a sort of funeral chapter and flashback... is that OK?  
  
Im a Brandybuck – No, he can't, because it was a program that killed him, not a bullet. Sorry.  
  
Jack Cole – (accepts Daisy) Wow! COOL! No, believe me, I want Daisy to cause those poultry of hell PAIN. (cackles)  
  
Hogwarts-Drama-Queen – Oooh, magic duct tape!! (runs around taping stuff up)  
  
Two Bored Idiots – I did consider killing Neo, but then thought... nah...  
  
Sci-freak GrodySpork – (gasp) YOU CAN NEVER WATCH TOO MUCH LORD OF THE RINGS!!! Right? (everyone has gone silent) Right? 


	14. Realization

Hi everyone! I'm glad so many of you still like this story so much, because I'm still loving writing it! I must say, I never knew that everyone was so fond of Jon, judging from all the sadness I've had in reviews that he's dead – and he's definitely dead, he's not coming back. Sorry to all the Jon fans out there.  
  
Oh, and I've put up a new Matrix fanfic – 'Neo: The Owner's Guide and Maintenance Manual'. So far it's been very popular, but I just thought I'd say in case any of you might want to read it. *cough*  
  
Yes, it is come, the chapter where you find out what's going on! And also, less emotional stuff in this one, more like the actual Matrix films. Which do you prefer – emotional chapters or action chapters? Anyway, enjoy this chapter!  
  
Chapter 14 – Realization  
  
Within two minutes, everyone was assembled on the main deck. Even though it was early in the morning, they were all wide awake when they heard Asha had found out what was going on.  
  
"What is it?" asked Neo.  
  
Asha didn't quite know how to put it into words. "Well, David told me that something was happening in the Matrix - something bad."  
  
"Like what?" said Trinity, "What was it that happened in the film? Zion was about to be destroyed, you don't think that's happening, do you?"  
  
Asha shook her head. "No, I don't think so... David wouldn't care so much about something like that, and I don't think the Architect would put that in the film if it was actually going to happen, do you?"  
  
"Well, what do you think's happening?" asked Trinity.  
  
"I think... I think the Matrix is being shut down."  
  
There was a silence. Neo and Trinity looked at each other. Morpheus looked at Asha, looking thoughtful. No-one said anything. "I know it's unbelievable," she said.  
  
"Why, though?" said Morpheus, "Why would they do that? They need humans to survive."  
  
"I know," said Asha, "But remember, they also use a form of fusion for energy, don't they? Maybe they've improved on that so much the human power plants are redundant.  
  
"Just hear me out," she said as Morpheus opened his mouth. But now she was started, she didn't want to stop. "David said something was happening, that was bad for humans but affected him as well. He said the plans had been brought forward, and that he wanted us to do something about it. Calypso's program was written to defeat us and then return to Zion and destroy that as well. Agent Smith was trying to stop us from preventing whatever's been happening. And he's been happier than I've seen him in ages, he must know he's getting out of here soon."  
  
There was yet another silence. Asha looked at the crewmembers, all looking into space and looking thoughtful. "Come on, it would be good if someone said something now."  
  
Neo looked up. "I think she's right," he said.  
  
"It would explain why Agent Smith would allow her back into the Matrix," said Trinity, "If it was being shut down anyway."  
  
"And the Oracle told me nothing lasts forever," said Falcon, speaking for the first time, "Maybe that's what she was talking about."  
  
"But what can we do about it?" said Neo.  
  
"Isn't that obvious?" said Falcon, "We have to get everyone out of the Matrix. Wake everyone up at once."  
  
"But how?" said Morpheus. Again, everyone was silent. Finally, Asha spoke.  
  
"I need to talk to David again."  
  
"What?" said Neo, "Asha, you trust him? How can you?"  
  
"Last time you went to meet him, you nearly ended up as a guy with a receding hairline and takes twice as long to say stuff as normal people," pointed out Falcon. Asha looked at everyone in the crew.  
  
"Don't you get it? He's not out to hurt me anymore. For now, until we've done what he wants, he's on our side. He'll help us. And we need his help, he knows more about the Matrix than any of us."  
  
Neo looked at her in disbelief. Asha rolled her eyes. "Look, I don't need your permission," she said, "I don't care whether you want me to or not. I'm going." She marched over to one of the chairs and leant back in it. Falcon came over to help her load herself in. She looked up at him. He smiled slightly.  
  
"Be careful," he said, and slid the needle in. Asha felt the feeling of going along a waterslide, and opened her eyes in a dusty storeroom. She lifted up the ringing phone and said, "I'm in. Be back soon. Look, Neo, stay where you are, no coming to find me."  
  
"Fine," she heard Neo say on the Nebuchadnezzar. Asha hung up and broke through a small window at the back. She emerged onto a busy street, and looked up and down it to check for agents. She then sent out thoughts in all directions. There – she could sense him in Central Park. She ran down the street towards there as fast as she could, but trying to look inconspicuous – no doubt the hunt for her would be redoubled after what had happened to Jon.  
  
Finally she entered the park. She saw him on a bench reasonably close to the entrance, looking at her with no surprise evident on his face. She walked over, trying not to look like she was hurrying.  
  
"You've worked it out, haven't you?" said David, a slight smile playing on his face as she sat down, "I guessed you would. And you want my help? How does wonder-boy feel about this?"  
  
"Neo's fine with it," said Asha.  
  
"So what are you planning to do?"  
  
"Well..." Asha paused. How did she know their plan was what David wanted them to do? "We're, um, we were thinking of... waking everyone up in the Matrix?"  
  
David looked straight ahead, but not seeing anything. "And where does that leave me?"  
  
"You can escape the Matrix," said Asha, "Leave it, like you did when you came to get me, and come to Zion."  
  
"I won't be welcome there," said David, "Not after what I did."  
  
"Yes you WILL," insisted Asha, "We just... we just need to know how to do it."  
  
"Well, you'd need to go to the Matrix mainframe," said David, turning business-like, "Get to the section dealing with the power stations. If you sent a strong enough charge to each pod, it would wake up the people, and deactivate the machines in that area as well, so you could escape."  
  
He made it sound so easy that for a moment Asha thought it would be plain sailing. But then she thought about the details. "How would we get there?" said Asha, "I mean, Neo in the Matrix: Reloaded does it by getting a key off the Keymaker. I doubt he's around?"  
  
David shook his head. "You'll have to find another way. But I hope you realise what you're getting yourself into." He was looking at her very seriously. "Millions of people, suddenly waking up, finding out that all they thought was real was fake? Some of the older ones won't make it, Asha. I hope you understand that."  
  
Asha nodded, feeling slightly overwhelmed. "We'll cope somehow."  
  
Her phone rang. She rolled her eyes and pulled it out. "Hello?"  
  
"Get back here," said Tank, "Sentinels."  
  
"Damn," said Asha, turning her phone off.  
  
"Sentinels?" said David.  
  
"This could be more than a coincidence," said Asha, "They could know I'm here... I've got to go, see you around, OK?"  
  
"Good luck," said David, and Asha set off at a sprint.  
  
* * * * *  
  
"Charge the EMP," said Morpheus. Trinity was looking over Tank's shoulder at the screen as Asha raced back to the phonebox.  
  
"What if she doesn't get out?" she said worriedly.  
  
"What would stop her?" said Tank. Trinity shook her head, then froze as she caught sight of something on the screen.  
  
"That," she said. Tank swore loudly, using a word he would never say in front of Asha, and dialled her number again.  
  
"What?" said Asha over the phone.  
  
"Asha, you don't have time to get out of there using a phone, just leave in that other way you do."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Because-" Suddenly there was the sound of a small shriek from Asha, a clatter suggesting that it had hit the ground, and then nothing. "Asha? Asha?"  
  
For a moment there was nothing. Then a new voice came onto the line, sounding cold and amused. "I'm sorry, Asha can't come to the phone right now. I'll make sure she gets your message." The line went dead.  
  
"Smith," muttered Neo. He turned to Tank. "Get me in there!"  
  
***  
  
Sorry this chapter was slightly short. And – though I'm sad to say – this fanfic is nearing an end. Next chapter is the last chapter, but! This story is following the tradition of all my favourite films and things and is going to be trilogy! Coming soon – the third and final part of Asha's story, 'A Prophecy Fulfilled'. But I might change that title if I can think of a better one. And onto callouts!  
  
Im a Brandybuck – Heart-wrenching! Yay, I achieved heart-wrenching! BOO-YA! Ahem, I mean, yes, it is a very emotional time Asha's going through. And as you can see, it's not getting much better...  
  
Theshiz – Well, at cinemas in England all the screens are in a row behind where you give in tickets, and it's amazingly easy to sneak into older films. My friend did it to get into the Matrix Reloaded, when she stupidly told the ticket person she was 14 when it was a 15. She bought a ticket for 'Johnny English' and snuck in just as it began.  
  
Greenapples – Sorry, Jon's definitely gone. And besides, the cheesiness would go off the chart. See? (points to chart, and where it is labelled 'Asha and Jon got married' the red line shoots off the graph, up the wall and through a hole in the ceiling)  
  
Alocin – She could hit Neo with a spoon... I suppose... I'll try and fit it into the next one! That's my mission! Doubt I'll succeed, but whatever. Always good to have a mission.  
  
Deity of Sorrow – OK! Thanks!  
  
Hogwarts-Drama-Queen – They will? Oo-er. I don't want to be haunted by cliffhangers... what can I do? Maybe I could stop writing them – wait, I know! I'll train my Wob-Wobs in exorcism! Or maybe hire Gandalf...  
  
TBI – Yes, he was, sadly. It would have probably been him, Falcon or Morpheus – and in the end, he was the best person. Save the rest of the killing off for the next part! (cackle)  
  
Sci-freak GrodySpork – You know I was sent 84 copies of your review? Fanfiction went all weird. But as I said to greenapples, Jon's definitely gone, bringing him back would mean I'd need a MUCH bigger cheesiness chart... like, as big as that diamond they found in space... It's the size of America! How cool is that? A diamond that big! Ahem, rambling now. Anyway. Onto the next callout.  
  
Kit19 – (sees Asha huggling Kit back) Oi! You're supposed to be in the story being attacked by Agent Smith!  
  
Asha: Aw, but he's so boring!  
  
Get in there! (Asha walks off sulkily) Sorry, she really does appreciate the hugs. Doesn't get all that many. Anyway, I suppose she could have hit Agent Smith with the spoon... except she hadn't had vanilla coke in the past few days, so there would be no reason for such strangeness...  
  
Sirocco.flow – No, I had that problem too. Sorry that Jon's dead. He's gone to a better place and all that... Yes, no cliffie! First step on the path to recovery! I wonder how long it'll be in the next part until there's a cliffie? (checks first few chapters) Oh, there's one at the end of the second chapter. Fab. I really do have a problem with this...  
  
MollyJean – Sorry I make you wait so long. If I had my way, I'd get to write stories and update all day, but sadly there's this place I sort of have to go to called school... dagnabbit...  
  
Becca and everyone else – Hmm. When I face that problem with a story, if it's a parody or spin-off I watch the film it was based on again and go out for a walk to somewhere I don't go often. Like the railway bridge at the end of my road. I stood there for ages watching trains go past with this blank expression... I think my neighbour who walked past was slightly worried... Hope that helps. Say hi to Claire for me! 


	15. Danger

Oh no! It's all over! I hate it when my stories end... actually, I don't mind so much this time, because that means that the last part of this trilogy is coming soon! Unlike the Matrix Revolutions, I'm hoping that the next part will be the best of the three. Again, like I did for the first story, there will be a preview of part three at the end of this chapter. And enjoy this last one! Thanks to all of you who have been reviewing from the beginning and stuck with me all the way!  
  
Chapter 15 - Danger  
  
Asha heard her phone ring. "What now?" she muttered. She pulled it out again. "What?" She'd heard Tank's voice on the line, sounding worried, telling her to get out of the Matrix in her other way. "Why?" she'd asked. The reason became apparent very quickly. An arm flew out of nowhere around her neck, and the phone flew from her hands. She gasped – just because she was the second hope didn't mean people couldn't make her jump. "Let go!" she shouted.  
  
She looked down at the arm. She recognised that sleeve. Agent Smith. With his other arm he picked the phone off the ground. "I'm sorry, Asha can't come to phone right now," he said amusedly, right behind her head, "I'll make sure she gets your message." He hung up and threw the phone into the bushes.  
  
Asha closed her eyes, and suddenly leant over forwards, swinging Agent Smith that way with all the strength she could muster. He flew over her shoulders, but kept hold of her arm. "What are you DOING?" she asked, trying to sound more irritated than scared, but she knew what would happen if she didn't get out soon. She couldn't risk leaving the Matrix the other way in case she inadvertently took Agent Smith with her.  
  
"So what are you doing in the Matrix again so soon, Miss Warner? Your appearance here is getting somewhat unwanted."  
  
"Yeah, well, that's not my problem," said Asha, still trying to get free, "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to be getting back-"  
  
"No, I don't think I'll be doing that," said Agent Smith, "No doubt Neo is on his way, and I'm not likely to turn down the chance of getting rid of both of you at once, am I?"  
  
"Guess not," said Asha, rolling her eyes, "But what if he doesn't turn up?"  
  
"Oh, he will," said Agent Smith, "And even if he doesn't, now that you have fulfilled what you were supposed to do, the crew has no use for you. They won't hesitate in activating the EMP. Then your irritating existence will be over."  
  
These words echoed through Asha's brain. The crew didn't have any use for her anymore. She could, actually, die. The fear was clearly evident in her eyes, because Agent Smith smiled. He pulled her to him, pinned her in front of him and started dragging her towards a black car parked on the street, in the front seats of which sat agents. She glanced around and saw a couple of people just leaving a shop and staring at this teenage girl struggling to escape from a man. "Help!" she shouted, "HELP!"  
  
One of the agents strode up to the people. Asha could see him talking and looking as serious as agents always did, and the people turning to look at Asha with slight fear in their eyes.  
  
"You see?" said Agent Smith quietly directly into her ear, "You humans will always believe whoever they believe is the authority. The main reason for humans' suffering, Miss Warner, is that they choose to believe what is most horrible. Hope is fading in the human world, Miss Warner, it is nothing but an illusion."  
  
Right at that moment, with her being captured by agents, a program out to kill her and sentinels on the way to the destroy the Nebuchadnezzar, Asha could quite easily believe that.  
  
* * * * *  
  
The crew looked at the screen in amazement. "That girl is jinxed," said Tank, "Every time she goes into the Matrix..."  
  
"How far away are the sentinels?" said Morpheus.  
  
"Five minutes, maybe less," said Tank.  
  
Trinity was loading in Neo. "Be fast," she said, "And careful."  
  
"I will be."  
  
"But what if..." Trinity couldn't even say it. She felt her throat contracting in worry.  
  
"I will," said Neo, "But I'm not coming back unless I've got Asha with me."  
  
"But if it's impossible, you really must leave her, she wouldn't want you to die for her." She looked into Neo's eyes, leant in and kissed him briefly. Neo smiled, then Trinity loaded him up. She ran to the screen. "Where is he?" she asked immediately.  
  
"The agent disabled the phone Asha came in by," said Tank, "And the nearest other one was ten blocks away. He's going to have to hurry."  
  
"The EMP's ready," said Falcon, also looking at the screen worriedly. He was still slightly in awe of the other crewmembers, and Asha was the only friend he had on the Nebuchadnezzar. He hoped nothing would happen to her.  
  
* * * * *  
  
Asha continued to try and fight off Agent Smith. She knew Neo was on the way, but didn't want this to turn into a massive fight. Agent Smith seemed to find her attempts amusing. They were nearly at the car, which had two more agents in the front seat – it would be very difficult to escape once in there. She couldn't think of what to do, except fight harder. Which she did. Agent Smith sighed exasperatedly and hit her with such force on the head that there was a flash of white light in front of her eyes and she very nearly blacked out; she stopped fighting immediately. He then forced her into the backseat. She grasped the side of her head, trying to get her thoughts in order. There had to be something she could do-  
  
A black figure came flying out of nowhere and collided with Agent Smith, who flew back several feet down the street. Asha blinked at where he had just been, and threw herself towards the open door. She felt an agent grab onto her foot, but just jerked back with the other foot. She felt it connect with something, and the grip loosened, so she shook herself free and got out the door.  
  
Agent Smith was staring at the new arrival in slight disbelief. Asha turned to see who it was, expecting Neo, but was also shocked. It was David.  
  
"David?" she gasped. David didn't even look at her.  
  
"You've told her, haven't you?" said Agent Smith.  
  
"Told her what?" said David innocently. Asha heard his voice in her head. 'Play along, play along, or they'll kill you here and now...'  
  
"Told me what?" echoed Asha quickly, "What's going on?"  
  
"You let your human feelings get in the way," said Agent Smith.  
  
"I don't know what you're talking about," said David, "I was flying, wasn't looking where I was going..."  
  
"You expect me to believe that?" said Agent Smith.  
  
'Asha, go!' she heard David say urgently in her head. Asha nodded, and turned to run, but was caught in the arms of the other two agents, who had got out of the car. Agent Smith looked at them.  
  
"Take her back to the car," said Agent Smith, "The sentinels will arrive soon." Asha wasn't standing for that. She threw both her arms upwards, and the agents flew into the air. She then started to sprint down the street, followed by the agents. Her head was still aching, and she could feel the agents gaining on her. As they got nearer and nearer, Asha had nearly resigned herself to not being able to escape this time, when she heard a rush of air behind her. An arm went round her waist and pulled her into the air. She glanced at her rescuer.  
  
"Neo!"  
  
"Asha, we don't have any time," said Neo, "We have to get to an exit, the sentinels are nearly at the Nebuchadnezzar-"  
  
"We can't just leave David! They'll kill him!"  
  
"Asha, if we don't leave now, we die."  
  
Asha thought desperately. "Fine," she said at last, "No need for an exit though." She closed her eyes, and pictured the Matrix around her splitting to form a gap. She then threw herself and Neo through the gap, and after a feeling of falling, she opened her eyes on the Nebuchadnezzar.  
  
"Morpheus, now!" shouted Trinity, who had been standing next to Neo. Asha immediately felt the vibrations of the EMP as the energy washed over her. She threw herself onto the floor with her arms over her head. When the shaking subsided, she walked shakily up to the control deck. She was shocked to see sentinels lying useless on the ground just outside the ship. They'd only just got out in time. Falcon leapt to his feet and gave her a hug.  
  
"Are you all right?" said Morpheus, thankfully not giving her a hug.  
  
"I'm fine," said Asha.  
  
"Did you get any information?" said Trinity, as she walked in, her arm round Neo.  
  
"Well, we need to get to the Matrix mainframe," said Asha, "But I don't know how."  
  
"We'll find a way," said Neo, "We have to."  
  
Asha nodded. "And we will." She quickly hurried over to the computer screens to see what was going on. Scanning the area, she was very surprised to see that David was gone, and the agents driving away in their car. "Wait, what happened?"  
  
"Where?" said Tank, coming to look over her shoulder.  
  
"David. He saved me from the agents, but they just let him go?"  
  
"How do you know he saved you?" said Neo.  
  
"What?"  
  
"Let's look at this," said Neo, sitting down, "You go to meet David, agents show up, you nearly get killed. You go to meet him again, agents show up, you nearly get killed. Noticing a pattern here?"  
  
"But..." Asha didn't want to believe that these had been traps, but she realized the evidence was looking like they could easily have been. "He's telling us about the Matrix being shut down, and how to save the people-"  
  
"That's just it. How do we know the Matrix is being shut down? All we have is David's word, and let's face it, he hasn't been all that reliable."  
  
"Does it matter?" said Falcon, speaking up for the first time. Everyone turned to look at him. "Even if he is lying, and the Matrix isn't being shut down, isn't it about time we finally did something for all those millions stuck in there?"  
  
There was a silence as each crewmember thought about this. "If it is a trap," said Trinity finally, "And there's agents prepared-"  
  
"We would have known that could have happened anyway," said Falcon, seeming to get more confident, "All the dangers that we could face if we did; they're not going to change whether it's really being shut down or not, is it?"  
  
Asha was watching Morpheus. It was his decision in the end, after all. At last he looked up. "What the hell," he said, "Let's go for it."  
  
***  
  
And now, the preview of the third part, still tentatively called 'A Prophecy Fulfilled.'  
  
Phoenix, the captain of the Aeneas, looked back. He swore as he saw Gamma get hit with a bullet, stumble, and not get up again. He saw the rest of his crew freeze. "Keep going!" he ordered. Time to feel sad when they were out of this. Two agents, right behind them, were most captains' nightmare.  
  
They kept running, running faster than it was possible for anyone still in the Matrix could run, but the agents kept up easily. Morpheus had been in this sort of mess before, several years ago, and they'd escaped with only one fatality – but that was by Morpheus sacrificing himself to give the others time to escape. He glanced back at the agents, who were gaining on them all the time. That was their only option, and he was the captain, he had to look after his crew.  
  
"Etain," he said to the woman running at his side, "Take over. Get everyone to an exit."  
  
"What?" said Etain, "What are you going to do?"  
  
"Just get everyone out of here." He stopped running and started to run back towards the agents. Etain watched in horror as she realised what he was going to do. She was about to run after him, when she realised that this really was the only option.  
  
"Come on!" she called to the rest of the crew, who were all also looking at Phoenix heading back in bewilderment. Phoenix himself was leaping into the air, aiming his feet at the agents for maximum impact. It didn't work quite as well as he'd hoped, considering they knocked him off course, and he went rolling along the road. He lifted his head slightly and saw that Etain and the others were safely around the corner. It wasn't far to an exit, they'd make it. Now he had himself to worry about.  
  
The agents seemed to be discussing him quickly.  
  
"He is a captain. He will know the codes to the Zion mainframe."  
  
"You're not getting them!" called Phoenix, but the agents acted as if he wasn't there.  
  
"We no longer need those."  
  
"But they would be an asset."  
  
"It is too much effort."  
  
"Then we should terminate him immediately." That agent raised a gun. Phoenix forced himself not to close his eyes; he would die bravely.  
  
***  
  
Onto the last callouts! See you all when the next part is released!  
  
Im a Brandybuck – At least the tension has subsided slightly before I abandoned you for a few weeks! But the tension will be basically non-stop in the next part. It's the last part of the trilogy, what do you expect?  
  
MollyJean – (grabs crown) Cliffies are mine to ruuule! To controool! And no, he's not, but all this is made slightly clearer in the next one and will be clarified even more when I get round to writing his story. Though it doesn't actually show in this story, I have thought all these things through!  
  
Jack Cole – Daisy's fine, thanks! She's just having kung-fu lessons from the Wob-Wobs! I'm not a sporty person – though when we play rugby and I have the ball, I am known for my vicious kicks...  
  
TBI – Smith has never actually been seriously hurt, as you may have noticed. I'm too fond of Smithy-boy, even though he does scare me slightly (OK, more than slightly). Don't know what I'll do to him in the third part though...  
  
Hogwarts-Drama-Queen – (eyes widen in horror) MY STORY IS LIKE SPIDERMAN??? NOOOO!!! But yes, she doesn't save both – that's sort of to show that she's not some superhero, she's just a normal person. And congrats, yours was the 200th review! And... quacking? Really? HUZZAH! RANDOMNESS!  
  
Sirocco.flow – OK, so THAT was a cliffie... sorry... maybe it is some sort of problem... (goes to anti-cliffie discussion group)  
  
Sci-freak GrodySpork – Hahaha! Good point! I always wrote badumbum TSH, but that's just me. Maybe we have different drum kits. And David is sweet, when he wants to be...  
  
Alocin – Yes, very cool and evil... but I still find him scary... Still trying to find somewhere to fit in the spoon. Not sure if I'll be able to.  
  
Kit19 – Up, up, up the stairs we go, until we come to... the tunnel... Ack, Gollum moment. I apologize.  
  
T'Lorie – You're muttering to yourself about evil cliffies? I've caused you to develop schizophrenia??  
  
Becca and everyone else – Hm... phone up the easter bunny and his friends. They may look cuddly, but they'll kick that skeleton's – well, they'll stop him, let's just leave it at that.  
  
Deity of Sorrow – Thanks very much! That's really sweet!  
  
See you all soon! The next part will be up within a few weeks! (waves farewell, the Wob-Wobs playing 'Ghostbusters' in a fanfare style) 


End file.
